Rainy Day
by Patriot6200
Summary: What happens when Natsu and Lucy return from a dangerous mission all bloody and beat to hell? What will one rainy day offer? Nalu!
1. Homecoming

Hey guys I am a new author on this site. I'm sorry about any grammatical errors I made while writing this. It's not really my strong suite but I really did try to fix my mistakes in that regard. I would love reviews on the story, my overall writing, and anything else. Please don't be rude though. I will admit I am not the best writer and this story just came to me one day because I have recently just got into _Fairy Tail_. It is literally the first thing I have ever written that wasn't for like school or something so please just go easy on me in the reviews. I still would really like to have them though.

I own absolutely nothing when it comes to _Fairy Tail_.

Please read and hopefully enjoy!

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><p>Today was just another warm summer afternoon to the citizens of Magnolia. The sun was bright with all the indications that today was going to be a good day, and the people of Magnolia continued on with their lives without a single care in the world. To them this particular day was not different than any other day.<p>

Over at the Fairy Tail guild a much different atmosphere was hanging in the air like thick fog. It had been over a month since Natsu and Lucy had gone off on their mission together and had not returned. Everyone in the guild could feel their absence especially since Natsu wasn't currently destroying the place. Erza couldn't eat her favorite cake which was right in front of her. Happy wasn't eating fish when it was offered to him. Even Mira had difficulty keeping up her usual smile as she worked cleaning the already pristine bar for the umpteenth time. It just wasn't the same without Natsu shouting at Gray or Gajeel, nor without Lucy at the bar gossiping with Levy over the day's events.

That really wasn't the problem with them being gone though. Natsu and Lucy had already gone on dozens of missions lasting around month. Granted they usually had Happy with them, but he decided to go on a mission with Wendy and Carla with the hopes of impressing Carla. This was different though. The mission chosen this particular time was a simple one to help pay Lucy's rent or so Natsu said. It consisted of dealing with some forest Vulcan in a town that was a four day train ride away. Therefore the time of just over a week in a half was to be expected. Five days after they left their trip length was expected to greatly increase when it was found out that a random dark guild had attack the route to the town Natsu and Lucy went to. The event was handled quickly by the magic council, but the damage was done. The track was actually finally fixed a little over a week now. Everyone immediately expected their return once the track was fixed, but they still hadn't shown up yet to the dismay of the guild. No one would say it, but it appeared that their train route was destroyed was more than just a coincidence.

"I can't just sit here and do nothing!" Gray randomly shouted out as he stood miraculously still wearing a shirt. "What are you yelling for boy?!" Master Makarov shouted back at Gray.

"Natsu and Lucy have been gone far too long now for it to just be some random coincidence with Flame Brain not wanting to ride the train." Gray claimed with exasperation as if Master Makarov and everyone in the guild didn't already know the current situation.

"I see" Master Makarov said quietly "what makes you think you are leaving then Gray?" A question Makarov threw Gray's way as Gray was already headed out the door.

"What do you mean what makes me think I'm leaving?" Gray asked turning and coming back to face Makarov. "Obviously they need someone to come and save them from whatever trouble Natsu got them in" with growing frustration and exasperation at Makarov for keeping him from leaving.

"Everyone in Fairy Tail can take care of themselves; Natsu and Lucy are no exception to this rule." Makarov stated his belief with a sigh as he closed his eyes clearly frustrated with Gray, and the fact that his children had not returned. He wasn't one to worry much, but it had been too long making him wonder what could possibly have happened. He was yanked out of his thoughts when Gray started shouting at him again. "Well obviously Natsu and Lucy can't so I'm going to find them and drag them back here. Then I'm going to beat Natsu for disgracing Fairy Tail over such a simple mission!" Rage now clearly evident in Gray's voice.

"NO ONE IS LEAVING AND THAT IS FINAL!" Makarov roared at Gray just as Gray had turned his back on him again. "Natsu and Lucy are some of the more capable wizards here at Fairy Tail. I am sure that whatever they ran into they handled and are on their way home now. More than likely Natsu found out the train route was broken, and he forced Lucy to walk back with him. He probably wouldn't have even tried to find out if it was fixed while coming home. It is frustrating, but we must wait here for them and have faith in our fellow guild mates." Makarov lectured at Gray coming down from his outburst earlier.

As the argument with Gray and Makarov was going on a certain two mages had just made it back into town. They were both headed toward the guild hall after their long journey. Natsu caught the last bit of argument between Makarov and Gray about not coming to help them and waiting at the guild.

Natsu then proceeded to kick open the door, and stated with his trade mark grin "Of course we made it back Ice Princess; then who else would you lose to in a fight every day." His voice shattered the previous foggy atmosphere of the guild, and everyone started cheering at their arrival. Even talks of a celebration at their return started up. Gray just grunted as he sat back in his seat, and somehow managed to end up only in his boxers during this short exchange.

With all the cheering and shouting going on few noticed the condition of Natsu and Lucy. The only one whom seemed to noticed was master Makarov because as soon as Natsu fell down to his knees making a thud against hard wood floor of the guild hall he quieted everyone back down and asked Natsu what was wrong.

"Lucy got hurt during our mission and needs to go to the infirmary" he quietly stated while wincing at both her and his pain. With the little energy he had left he started cursing himself because he couldn't believe that he let Lucy, his partner, get hurt. Makarov was currently wondering why he didn't just seek medical attention in the town he was in, but he would ask Natsu that after Lucy was being treated. Not even he noticed the bandages around Natsu's chest and back.

Mira then dashed over and assured a half lidded eyes slightly grinning Natsu that Lucy would be well taken care of as she ran with Lucy in her arms to the infirmary before Natsu could even whisper the words thank you to her.

Elfman walked over to Natsu and slapped him hard on the back which made a loud crack trying to say something along the way of how a real man would carry the injured girl all the way home, but before he could utter a single syllable Natsu roared out, "AAAAHHHHHHHHHHH!"

Right after the deafening roar Natsu fell to the floor completely passed out with blood starting pool more rapidly under him. Elfman then quickly grabbed Natsu and rushed him to the infirmary where Lucy was almost slipping in the pool of blood. He cursed himself for not even noticing Natsu's condition. He had been bleeding the entire time while he was there on his knees barely even conscious.

All Makarov could do was sigh and mutter "What happened to those two that would bring them back home in such bad shape?"


	2. The Awakening

**Authors Note:** Hey thank you whomever reviewed my last chapter. Sorry for the confusion. I hope I eliminated that in this next chapter, but as always please tell me your thoughts and opinions on my writing. I really do appreciate it. Also again this really is my first time writing something that isn't for a school paper, so I ask please be kind when you comment. Hope you enjoy this second chapter.

As always I own absolutely nothing in regards to _Fairy Tail_.

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><p>The guild immediately started to care for the two recently returned mages hoping that the wounds they both received during some mysterious battle would not turn out to be fatal. Lucy while quite injured appeared to be more stable at the current moment than Natsu since he was losing blood quickly even with a bandage on. Therefore the priority of the infirmary was to make sure Natsu was in stable condition before treating them both. The first thing that was going to be done was to stop the bleeding so Natsu didn't die of blood loss while at the same time changing his bandage to prevent infection from setting up inside the wound. What they saw next shocked even the most experienced in the infirmary. Natsu had a hole in his chest. The hole was more than likely caused by a sword being rammed through it. The fact that Natsu was even alive was a miracle, but that wasn't going to be the case for long. Mira rushed out of the infirmary because there was only one person who could save Natsu in his condition. She needed to get the master to convince Porlyusica to come save Natsu. If she didn't come then Natsu would surely die.<p>

_(12 hours later)_

Both Lucy and Natsu were still unconscious in the infirmary. Porlyusica had agreed to come treat the two mages as long as she was not disturbed by anyone else in the guild while she worked. She managed to get Natsu in stable condition which saved his life, but the battle for him was far from over. She did take note to herself that his wound had a large amount of burns on it.

_Flashback_

"NATSU DON'T, PLEASE STOPPP. YOU DON'T HAVE TO DO THAT FOR MEEHEE!", wailed a frantically sobbing Lucy. She was shrieking for him to stop, but couldn't get Natsu to even budge at her words. All she could do was breathlessly watch as Natsu put his fists down with the fire around them ebb away and to slowly get down on his knees. _"this is nightmare, this has to be a nightmare, this can't be real, this just can't be!" _screamed a horror struck Lucy inside her head. "GET UP! FIGHT! DON'T LET THEM DO THIS NATSU, PLEASE, IM BEGGING YOU PLEASEEEE!" screamed a desperate Lucy.

Her words were landing on deaf ears. She couldn't get him to listen. Then a sickly disturbed voice cooed with joy in her ears "This next part is my favorite part, and I'm going make you watch" as he then started to howl with laughter. He proceeded to take Lucy's face and point it toward the now currently kneeling fire mage. Another man then walked up to Natsu with a rather large blade. Lucy's eyes widened, and her tears started pouring out more vigorously than before. "Please s...stop th...his, I'm beg...ging you." She cried. Natsu then looked back at Lucy and grinned his trademark grin and simply mouthed the words "everything is going to be ok, Luce." Right after that, Natsu was impaled on the other man's sword.

_End Flashback_

Lucy shot out her bed screaming "NATSU NOOOOO, COME BACK PLEASE, COME BA...ACK!" She then started sobbing uncontrollably not even noticing her current surroundings. With a look of complete total disbelief, horror, and shock she continued to mutter to herself quietly while bringing her knees to her chest shaking "Natsu come back, please come back".

Mira heard Lucy's cries and rushed to console the blonde haired girl much to the dismay of Porlyusica. She started shaking Lucy and softly saying "Lucy, Lucy, Lucy you are at Fairy Tail. You are home. Everything is alright, I promise" Then Mira smiled up at her.

"But Mira, Natsu, I watch...ched him die" Lucy protested, barely containing the sobs back long enough to say that last sentence. "Natsu is going to be fine. He is on the bed next to you. Look there for yourself." Mira soothingly assured the crying girl.

Lucy slowly turned her head not believing what Mira said to be true. She then saw Natsu breathing very shallow and uneven breaths. "N...Natsu" whispered Lucy which was barely even audible with more tears flooding her eyes.

Porylusica had enough of this interference and picked up her broom shouting at Mira, "Out, Out, Out, right this instance! What did I say about interfering with me while I was here?!"

Mira then left quite quickly since she was being shooed out of the room anyway. Lucy still had a look of complete and utter disbelief on her face at the fact she was at the guild. She then forced herself out of her current thoughts to try to thank Porylusica, but Porylusica cut her off as soon as she began to speak.

"You have six broken ribs with four being on the right side and the other two on the left, a cracked collarbone, broken wrist, a broken ankle which is on the opposite side of your wrist, a good amount of previous internal bleeding, and severely bruised organs. You are lucky to be alive young lady" Porylusica stated plainly. Lucy began to ask how she was alive then, but again before she could Porylusica cut her off anticipating this next question "You were treated by some other fool of a doctor. He did an adequate job of setting most of your breaks which are largely healed by now. He did a very poor job at stopping your internal bleeding and healing of your bruised insides, but he did enough to keep you alive. If it wasn't for you pink haired friend carrying you all the way back here; you may have stayed in your little coma for a while longer. Since I've started taking care of you now I believe I have made it to where you will make out of your situation without any side effects."

Lucy then sent a desperate glance at Natsu and tried talking again only to be interrupted a second time by Porlyusica stating "He is fine. That sword wound he received should have killed him. It missed his spine and heart by a no more than few hairs in width. For some reason the wound was cauterized at some point which saved his life. It also appears to have been stitched up by that same fool who tried to heal you. Might have even worked if the pink haired idiot didn't carry you back, but I suppose that was for the best" Porlyusica then let out a long sigh thinking to herself "_why do humans have to be so stupid"_

Getting herself out of her own thoughts, she then sharply commanded Lucy to get some rest. Now realizing how tired and how much pain she actually was in; Lucy just nodded and did what Porylusica thought was best. As Lucy lied back down she shuddered because the last thought she had before passing back out was Natsu lying in heap on the ground, dead.

_(3 days later)_

Lucy again awoke with a start and in a cold sweat. She started sobbing violently because she just dreamed about Natsu dying again. Mira was keeping a close eye on her and Natsu and rushed into the room once she heard Lucy start to cry.

"Lucy it's going to be ok, I promise. Just come back to me Lucy. You are at the guild hall safe and sound. Natsu is here too; right next to you. Everything is going to be ok." Mira calmingly whispered at Lucy. She then embraced the crying girl and slowly Lucy's sobs began to subside. Lucy was going to ask Mira what was going on, but just as Porlyusica had done, much to Lucy's growing annoyance, Mira answered her before she could talk. "Porlyusica left yesterday once Natsu's condition finally improved. She said that Natsu would recover fully from his injuries as long as he didn't do anything strenuous for the next month so that his huge chest wound could heal."

"That might be a little hard since its Natsu" Mira jokingly commented while looking at Natsu. Mira finished by stating "She told us not to wake the two of you and just let you both rest. That was the best thing for both of you considering both of your current conditions.".

"How long has it been since the last time I woke up?" Lucy asked quietly. "You have only been asleep for three days since then" Mira happily said since it seemed Lucy was calming down a bit. "Oh, I almost forgot! The master wanted to be informed as soon as you woke back up." Mira quickly stated aloud to herself. She then walked out of the room to get master Makarov, and tell him the news.

Shortly after Mira left, master Makarov entered the infirmary room where Natsu and Lucy were staying. Natsu was still asleep in his bed while Lucy adopted a lying down position because she still felt quite tired and a good deal amount of pain.

"Lucy are you still awake?" Makarov plainly asked. Lucy started to sit up, wincing while doing so, but Makarov said in a much gentler tone "It's alright child; you can lie down." Lucy, very grateful to the master, did as she was told while Makarov pulled up a chair to Lucy's bed and looked down on her with what appeared to be a piercing stair. He then calmly asked "Lucy what happened to you and Natsu while you were on your mission?"


	3. The Mission

_**Author's Note:**_Hey thank you everyone who commented on my previous chapters. I really tried taking what you guys said to heart. I hope this chapter lives up to the your expectations of me. Again this is my first time so if you don't like it or just think I really need to fix stuff you can of course comment just please be kind while doing so. No need to be rude. Also any other comments on anything pertaining to my writing or the story is greatly appreciated.

As always I own nothing in regards to _Fairy Tail_

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><p><em>Flashback<em>

"Come on, Natsu, were going to be late" Lucy shouted at Natsu as he approached the train with his head down mumbling something. "What on earth are you mumbling about, Natsu? Oh, let me guess. You don't want to ride the train because you don't like trains. Is that about right?" Lucy teased Natsu while he approached her.

"So what if I don't like trains" shouted Natsu as he threw his arms in the air and stomped like a child. "Can't we just walk there instead" He pleaded. "Noooo! It's a four day train ride which is almost a month long walk, and I'm not doing that so hurry up and get on the train, Natsu!" Lucy yelled at him since they were now the last two people still standing on the platform of the station.

"But I don't wanna!" Natsu wailed at Lucy like a toddler. Lucy getting visibly agitated at Natsu's current behavior decided there was only one thing left to do. "Lucy kick!" Lucy triumphantly declared as she kicked Natsu onto the train. "Oww, you didn't have to kick me, weirdo. I was going to get onto the train." Natsu said as he rubbed his head where it made impact with the train car's floor. "Well it sure didn't look like it since someone decided that he would act like a whining toddler instead." Lucy indignantly said while scowling at Natsu. "Alright, now hurry up and find us our room" Lucy said while still scowling, and at the same time trying to hide her blush at that fact that she had to share a train car room with Natsu.

Natsu just grinned at Lucy and said, "Aye, sir." while saluting her at the same time. All Lucy could do was let out a long sigh and think, "_This is already starting to turn out to be a long trip and we haven't even left Magnolia. How am I supposed to deal with him cooped up on this train for four whole days?" _Lucy groaned to herself.

"Hey Luuucy, Luuuucy, what are you staring at, weirdo? I found us the car we got for just the two of us" Natsu said waving his arms in front of the face of blonde dragging her out of her thoughts. He was also oblivious to the implications of what he just said. Lucy starting to show a lot of pink across her cheeks, "Natsu, we didn't get the car 'for just the two of us'! We simply decided to share one since it was cheaper, and so I could keep an eye on your motion sickness! Also stop calling me a weirdo!" Lucy started to shout at Natsu while she pushed him into the room trying to hide her red face and embarrassment from the other passengers.

"Geez, I don't get what you are so embarrassed about Luce. That's the same as what I just said." The completely dense dragon slayer stated plainly with a confused look on his face. "No it's not! Now just shut-up and put your bags away" commanded a clearly still embarrassed Lucy. "Alright, just don't kick me again." Natsu said as he grinned at Lucy who was still quite flushed at his earlier comments.

Now that they had gotten everything settled in the room they had purchased, the two mages decided to leave and go take a seat with the rest of the passengers. This was in part because Lucy was too embarrassed to be in the same room with Natsu alone right now. The pair sat down in a booth to themselves. They managed such a feat only because it was very early in the morning and most people from Magnolia didn't like to start to travel till a little later on in the day.

"We will be departing in five minutes" The engineer of the train stated over the loud speakers. "humph" said Natsu dreading the fact that the next four days are probably going the be the worst in his entire life. As Natsu absent mindidly stared out the window waiting for the inevitable with a pained expression on his face; Lucy who had now recovered from her previous embarrassment, was looking over at Natsu with deep concern. "_He must really not want to do this mission. He only did this because I complained about my rent again in front of him. As soon as I complained I see Natsu coming back from the job board with that silly grin on his face saying 'Hey Luce, check it out! It's perfect for your rent.' I looked over the job request which was just taking care of some forest Vulcan which paid 400,000 J. I remember being so ecstatic that Natsu picked this job for us. 'This is great! I'll be able to cover rent for at least three whole months with this much money and the job is easy to boot!' I remember Natsu's grin just get even bigger as if he had won some prime. Thinking about it now makes me want to blush a little._

_At this point I realized where the job was located. "Hey Natsu, you do know this job is like a four day train ride away, right?" I asked him. He just said "So what? I'll have Wendy do her awesome spell!" He continued grinning at me and I almost started to blush. "You forgot Wendy is out on a mission with Happy and Carla didn't you?" I said sighing. Natsu's face didn't even fall after that. All he said through his grin was "Oh well, I guess I'll just lie in your lap like normal." That last statement he made was far too loud and before I had to the chance to even yell at him; he ran out of the guild shouting "See you tomorrow, Lucy". I of course turned a deep red color trying to hide my face from everyone now staring at me in the guild hall. Mira and Levy teased me the rest of the day for it. Oh it was so embarrassing! He was so going to…."_

"Lucy, Luce, Luce!" Natsu half shouted at Lucy while shaking her to get out of her thoughts. Lucy just started to blink her eyes repeatedly at him while coming back to reality. "You were just staring at me, weirdo. Are you ok?" Natsu asked with concern in his voice for his partner. "Y...Yeah I'm fine" Lucy said turning away from Natsu hiding her flushed face from being caught staring at him. "Good, now can I lie my head down in your lap before the train starts moving?" Natsu asked with his big toothed grin.

Lucy became even more flushed at his last request, but she didn't know why since this was a normal routine for them. She simply nodded which caused Natsu to lie his head down into her lap and he closed his eyes. Lucy recovering from her latest embarrassment again looked with concern at the dragon slayer. The only reason he was doing this in the first place was so he didn't feel as sick as normal. Lucy then got a bright idea into her head.

"Hey Natsu, why don't you get sick when Happy flies you around?" asked Lucy already knowing the answer. "Because Happy isn't a mode of transportation. He is family." Natsu answered Lucy slightly annoyed at her question because she basically compared Happy to train which he hated. Lucy then smiled at Natsu and asked, "Am I a mode of transportation, Natsu?"

"Uhh, N...No" Natsu replied with confusion in his voice. "Then how come when you lay your head down in my lap you still get sick." Lucy asked fake pouting at Natsu. Natsu whom is really confused at this point then responded "I d...don't know."

"Well then, since this trip is long; while your head is my lap, don't think that you are riding a train, but instead think that you are using me, your family, to get around." Lucy said proud of what she just came up with. "Ok...ka...ay" was all Natsu could muster up for a response.

Natsu decided to try and take Lucy's advice. Sure enough the train started moving, and surprisingly he didn't really feel sick. He felt kinda sick since only his head was on Lucy, but he felt much better. "Now isn't that better?" Lucy whispered softly into Natsu's ear. He replied by nodding his head in her lap. Shortly after their conversation Natsu fell asleep on Lucy's lap. Lucy started stroking Natsu's pink hair with her hand which caused him to let out a small contented sigh. Lucy couldn't help, but blush at this because to her he looked really cute right now.

Later that evening Lucy and Natsu decided to head into their 'shared' room as Lucy would adamantly claim. It was time for bed, and Lucy had gone into the room to change first that way she was alone while doing so and so Natsu couldn't see. She then called out to him telling him that it was ok to come in. All Natsu did was take off his vest so he would be more comfortable. This particular event was actually interesting to watch since the entire way to the 'shared' room he was wobbling back and forth trying his best not to throw up. It's like he had been playing put the tail on the donkey and had just been spun in a circle 30 times. Lucy literally had to lead him there like a dog. Once he was out of his vest he very clumsily climbed into bed with Lucy much to her shock.

"What are you doing in my bed?! We agreed your bed was the top bunk when we got here!" Lucy said with shock and with major embarrassment at Natsu climbing into the same bed with her. "Oh come on, Luce!" Natsu whined at her. "You are the only reason that I haven't been sick this entire trip. He groaned at her. "Besides you smell really good Lucy and I think that's what calms me down when I lay my head in your lap." He said while bearing his head in her hair inhaling quite loudly.

"N...Natsu...u y...you...u c...can't sa...ay th...hings l...lik...ke th...hat...t" Lucy barely got that out as her face turned a completely new shade of red because of her overwhelmingly sudden surprise at Natsu's latest comments. She didn't think Natsu of all people would say something like that to her. Natsu couldn't see her since he was still enjoying Lucy's scent, but Lucy's face had become so red that it put Erza's hair to shame.

"Why not if it's true?" Natsu happily asked. "So please can I stay here?" he asked the now extremely shy blond. Lucy could only nod at him to which he responded by putting his arms around her and snuggling against her.

"_Oh. My. God. I am cuddling with Natsu!"_ Lucy mentally yelled at herself. She couldn't even believe the situation she was currently in. She had never actually cuddled with anything other than her stuffed animals. What was worse is she actually liked it even though it was Natsu. She started to have a panic attack which caused all of her muscles to tense up. Natsu sensed this and simply pulled Lucy in tighter as if it was a hug and warmly whispered while smiling in his sleepy state "Thank you Luce, this really means a lot". This actually caused Lucy to tense up even more because of how flushed she was getting at their current situation. This only caused Natsu to pull her tighter into a hug which she resisted, but she started to grow tired from day's events and the the long train ride. As she fell asleep she couldn't help but think with a soft smile on her face how warm she was when he was there.

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><p>The rest of the train ride continued as the first day. The worst part was when they had to eat, and Natsu insisted eating while he was laying his head in her lap which caused many stairs to be thrown their way. Of course Natsu didn't notice as he was stuffing his face so he again left Lucy to feel embarrassed for the both of them.<p>

They arrived into the small town where the job request came from and met up with the mayor of the town. He briefly explained what happened and why they needed help. Apparently at night a few of the town's people were attacked by forest Vulcan in the middle of the night which has led to a large amount of fear in the town. The reason there was so much fear is because all of the people were being killed and their mangled corpses showed up in the morning in the town square. They were being attacked on one of the many walking trails that exist throughout the town. After explaining the situation to the two mages; Natsu and Lucy assured the man that the problem would be taken care of by nightfall. The mayor was ecstatic with the news that it would be dealt with so quickly.

Nightfall came and Nastsu and Lucy entered the trail together. It was quite dark so Lucy reached out for Natsu's hand. For some reason this made her feel safe and caused her cheeks to get a slightly rosey color to them. She was thinking how nice it was to hold his hand when they found a small circular clearing that was around 30 feet in diameter and then they waited for the inevitable Vulcan attack. The Vulcans started to attack them about 30 minutes later. Natsu and Lucy made short work of the problem with minimal effort. They started congratulating each other on a job well done when laughter made them freeze.

"I honestly didn't expect to see the Salamander and his blonde bimbo show up to this, but you can't be mad if a gift is placed right at your feet." The man howled at the two wizards.

"Hey I'm not just some blonde bimbo! I'm Fairy Tail's best celestial wizard!" Lucy shouted back out at the darkness. Lucy then began to back up toward Natsu

"That may be true, but no matter how strong you are you cannot take on three of the most powerful dark guilds all at once blondie." He mockingly asserted at Lucy and Natsu.

"Oh, Yeah! Dark guilds are not so tough! I like to see you try to take us on. I'll knock you out just for insulting Lucy and the Fairy Tail Guild!" Natsu roared at the darkness. At this point Lucy finally reached Natsu and they were back to back in the center of the circle. Both were trying to find the mysterious man, but he voice appeared to be coming from all around them.

"Just the stubbornness I was told to expect from you Salamander. Alright we shall see!" the mysterious man shouted. As soon as he stopped talking Natsu and Lucy were swarmed with enemies from every possible direction. They were completely surrounded. Natsu only grinned saying I'm all fired up now while Lucy tired to look as confident as her partner even though she was terrified.

The fighting continued well into the night with Natsu and Lucy pulling out most of the stops. Natsu and Lucy tried to stay close to each other in the center of the circle. Many times they would get separated with both being forced to the opposite ends of the circle. This happened on multiple occasions since Nastu moved around a lot as he fought. Turns out all the forest Vulcans were created with picto magic. This meant that over half the foes Natsu and Lucy were fighting were not even real. They both realized this too late because of the sheer size of the force they were up against. It made it too hard to read the actual battle situation. By the time they figured this out Natsu had several bruises while Lucy had broken her wrist using her whip while also tripping and breaking her ankle. Both of Lucy's injuries happened while Natsu and Lucy were separated. Both times Natsu came from where ever he was and saved Lucy. This is actually how Natsu ended up with bruises because he was so busy trying to save Lucy he forgot to protect himself. Since they figured out most of the force was caused due to picto magic they worked their way to find the several mages behind the magic. Stopping these dark wizards was easy work and this caused all the enemies to disappear at once. Natsu and Lucy both had difficulty breathing since they had been fighting for several hours now. Lucy magic power was essentially gone, but she was not giving up. Natsu wasn't doing much better.

"I'm impressed that you survived. No one has ever seen through our ruse before. However, that doesn't matter because I know your weakness Salamander." The mysterious man cried out.

"I don't have any weaknesses!" Natsu roared back into the darkness indignant that an enemy whose butt he thinks he just kicked would even dare to mock him. Natsu and Lucy were moving in a slow closing arc. Both keeping on their guard, and both trying to make their way back to the center of the circle and at the same time each other.

"Yes you do Salamander, I noticed during the fight that you were quite worried every time your blonde bimbo got hurt or was even about to get hurt. You even rushed to help your blonde bimbo multiple times at the expense of yourself taking damage. It was quite romantic" the man slyly stated.

"Of course I protected her when she needed it. She is my partner. I won't let anyone hurt her" Natsu roared back getting even angrier than before.

"Really? That's all I needed to hear." The man stated. You could feel the wicked grin he was giving off. "Grab the girl" the man quietly ordered. Before Natsu or Lucy could begin to react a man appeared from the darkness behind Lucy and Natsu. He wrapped his arms around Lucy restraining her. He then placed a small knife at her neck while dragging her as far away from Natsu as he could.

"LET HER GO OR I'LL…" Natsu roared with pure rage coming from the dragon slayer's voice as he started to make a move to save Lucy.

"Or you will do what exactly" The man whom Natsu turned his back while he was trying to protect Lucy mockingly asked. "You are going to do exactly as I say or the girl dies". The man calmly stated as if her life was worthless. Just as he said this, the man holding Lucy pressed the knife on Lucy's neck and drew a small amount of blood which caused her wince at the pain. The mysterious man finally came out of the shadows and was in full view of Natsu and Lucy. "You are going to get rid of all that fire around your body right now and kneel before me and if you do not do it within the next five seconds your blonde bimbo dies" the man threatened with eerie calmness in his voice. The smile that grew on his face was one of a sick man who enjoys watching things suffer.

"5…" Natsu was just glaring at the man with the fire actually currently increasing around him since his rage was boiling over more than it ever had. "4…" Lucy had gone wide-eyed and couldn't believe the situation she and Natsu were in. She desperately clung to the idea that Natsu would think of something to get them out of this. "3…" Lucy's horror at her situation began to exponentially increase when she realized Natsu was no longer in a fighting stance. He still had his fire around him, but Natsu was shaking. "_No he can't actually being doing what that man is asking. He just can't!"_ Lucy started to go into a complete panic when she saw the fire around Natsu waiver. "2…" "_No, No, No, No, NOO!" _Lucy screamed in her head as tears started falling down her cheeks. "_Natsu can't give in because of me. He just can't! He has to fight!"_ Lucy was beginning to sob at the scene before her and the only thing she could think of doing was screaming out at Natsu.

"NATSU DON'T, PLEASE STOPPP. YOU DON'T HAVE TO DO THAT FOR MEEHEE!", wailed a frantically sobbing Lucy. She was shrieking for him to stop, but couldn't get Natsu to even budge at her words. All she could do was breathlessly watch as Natsu put his fists down with the fire around them ebb away and to slowly get down on his knees. _"this is nightmare, this has to be a nightmare, this can't be real, this just can't be!" _screamed a horror struck Lucy inside her head. "GET UP! FIGHT! DON'T LET THEM DO THIS NATSU, PLEASE, IM BEGGING YOU PLEASEEEE!" screamed a desperate Lucy.

Her words were landing on deaf ears. She couldn't get him to listen. Then a sickly disturbed voice cooed with joy in her ears "This next part is my favorite part, and I'm going make you watch" as he then started to howl with laughter. He proceeded to take Lucy's face and point it toward the now currently kneeling fire mage. Another man then walked up out of the darkness past the man in charge to Natsu with a rather large blade. Lucy's eyes widened and her tears started pouring out more vigorously than before. "Please s...stop th...his, I'm beg...ging you." She cried. Natsu then looked back at Lucy and grinned his trademark grin and simply mouthed the words "everything is going to be ok, Luce." Right after that, Natsu was impaled on the other man's sword.

Lucy watched as Natsu slid off the man's sword into a lifeless heap on the ground. She wasn't even able to process what was going on. Her entire world had just shattered right in front of her. He was the one always saving her. He was the one was always smiling at her. He was the one who got her into Fairy Tail in the first place. She was quickly dragged out of her thoughts when the man restraining her slammed a fist into her gut which caused Lucy to howl in pain along with spit out some blood onto the ground. The man then let her fall to the ground. He began to savagely kick her repeatedly. Lucy was only able to scream in pain and constantly cough up blood. Her face was getting coated in a mix of dirt and blood. The man whom had killed Natsu had also started beating her. Right when she was about to pass out from the pain the man whom had orchestrated everything called off the attack.

"Leave her! Let her die in agony next to the Salamander knowing she is the cause of his death" The man howled with laughter because of the sobs that began to escape from Lucy. "You know it's true blondie. He would be alive right now if it wasn't for you" The man sickly mocked as his subordinates walked over away from Lucy towards him. "We are the leaders of the three most powerful dark guilds. You didn't even have a chance against us." The man stated with an aura of complete arrogance.

Lucy was sobbing thinking she killed Natsu. She was about to pass out from all her pain when she felt a rush a magic energy like she never felt before. She looked over and what she saw amazed her and stopped her crying. There was a pure bright orange pillar of light shooting up into the sky coming off of Natsu. It was so bright it reminded her of Nirvana. She saw Natsu standing as if he didn't just get mortally wounded with more power flowing off of him than she had ever seen. It terrified her. Lucy then passed out.

_End Flashback_

Lucy finished recounting the entire mission; she left out most of what took place on the train since it was quite embarrassing, and she didn't want Mira to tease her about it. Lucy then looked up at the master when tears started to form in her eyes. "That's all I remember. After that I woke up here in the guild hall" Lucy chocked out that last sentence as she began to sob. She started hugging her knees to her chest because she couldn't control her crying any longer.

"That's quite alright child. When Natsu wakes up I will get the rest of the story from him. You should rest now." Makarov stated with extreme sadness in his voice at the story he had been told. Mira then calmed Lucy down to get her to stop crying. She looked up and what she saw next surprised her. Standing in door way was Gray whose back was facing the room, but he was physically shaking. Erza had come in as well and was sitting on her right next to the master with a look of sorrow on her face for Lucy and Natsu. Levy was next to Mira on her left looking at Lucy with all the concern one person could muster. She placed her hand on Lucy's hand and held on tight. Happy was listening to her story curled up next to Natsu on his bed, which was on the opposite side of the room closer to Gray, cyring for his friends. What she didn't know was because since the door way was open the entire guild hall heard her retelling of the mission she went on. No one was drinking. No one was eating. No one was moving. The only thing on their mind was concern and sorrow for their guild mates. What they went through is something no one should ever go through.


	4. The Mission: Part 2

Author's Note: Thank you everyone who has been reviewing my story. It really means a lot to me. Also thank you to everyone who is following it and who made it one of their favorite stories. I'm really glad so many people liked it. As always please feel free to review my story and provide me feedback. I just ask that you be kind while doing so.

As always I own nothing in regards to _Fairy Tail_

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><p>The Fairy Tail guild hall had become still after the retelling of Lucy's story. It was so still that no one even wanted to move for fear that the stillness was the only thing holding them together. Master Makarov walked out of Lucy's room contemplating the implications of what Lucy told him. He was taken out of his thoughts when he noticed that everyone was so quiet that he could hear his own foots steps inside the guild. That never happens.<p>

"I see" Makarov quietly stated, yet at the same time everyone's eyes in the guild hall shifted toward him for guidance. "While the tale that was told was tragic; we must never forget some very important things. Our guilds mates, our family, have returned to us. Though they may have been harmed along the way," Makarov's voice was beginning to increase with every word. "They still managed to complete their mission and uphold Fairy Tail's honor! And do you know why? It's because they didn't not waiver in the face of danger but instead triumphed! LET US NOW CELEBRATE THE FACT THEY ARE NOW BACK HOME WITH US, IN THE WAY FAIRY TAIL ONLY KNOWS HOW!" Makarov's voice roared out booming across the silent guild hall.

After the speech was made everyone started cheering and hollering again. The speech cut though the stillness in the guild hall as if it were a tangible and everyone's spirits became as high as they would be during the festival season. They started to focus on the fact that Natsu and Lucy had come home. That was all that mattered right now. They needed to show their love for their comrades more than any other emotion right now. It was the only way to truly show them how happy they were with them being home.

Everyone in Lucy's room heard Makarov's speech and already started to feel better. "Looks like a party is about to start" Mira giggled with a big smile and then she turned and asked Lucy hopefully yet with sincerity "Are you going to join us in celebrating your return?"

"No, no, I'm still pretty tired and sore from everything. I think I'm just going to lie back down and rest some more" Lucy said quietly while looking down at her legs. "Alright, but don't stay up here too long, ok?" Mira said with a smile and chipper as ever. "Yeah, Lucy! You need to come down and talk to us, ok? We haven't seen you in like forever!" Levy cried at Lucy.

"Ok, I'll try to come down tomorrow. Is that ok, Levy?" Lucy weakly said with a small smile for her friend. "Is that ok?! It's perfect Lucy!" Levy squealed with excitement. Mira sensing how tired Lucy was and at how she was still not in high spirits decided it was time to leave Lucy alone. She then began to shoo everyone out to the party going on downstairs. Once everyone was out of the room they all let out a collective sigh. They just wanted to get Lucy's mind off of what she just told them which is why they were so insistent on having her come down stairs. They respected her wishes to rest because she still must feel so horrible with how badly she was injured.

In truth most of Lucy's injuries had actually healed simply from the fact that they had been inflicted over a month ago. The real problem was while she was telling her tale she remembered everything that had happened to her. All the sweet moments with Natsu on the train which still made her heart flutter at the thought, but it immediately sank once she remembered the battle. What she couldn't get out of her head was something that made her want to crawl into hole and die. "_It's my fault he is in the bed over there. I'm the reason he got hurt! I almost got him killed!" _Tears were forming and starting to flow out of her eyes at these thoughts. "_If I wasn't alive then I wouldn't have caused Natsu so much pain. He must hate me and never want to even see me again!" _Lucy was now quietly sobbing and for some reason that last thought made her heart feel like it was being broken into tiny irrecoverable pieces. "_I don't want Natsu to hate me. I can't lose him as a partner. I just can't. It wouldn't be the same without him there always doing something childish or just laughing. I can't bear to be without him. I love him."_ Lucy stopped crying and her eyes went wide. She realized how she really felt about her partner, the man who always saved her, the man who was always there for her, and the man who brought her to Fairy Tail in the first place. Lucy then cried harder than she did when she thought Natsu died. She couldn't even breathe to make sobbing noises. She just cried. Lucy soon fell asleep after that thinking everything was her fault.

A week passed and the entire time Lucy was like a zombie. She would try to smile and laugh with her friends, but in the back of her mind she kept thinking how much it hurt knowing Natsu probably hated her and never wanted to see her again while she loved him. It tore her apart. Everyone noticed her condition. Cana made up a good fortune for Lucy. Erza offered Lucy some of her cake which she didn't do for anyone. Levy tried getting her interested in some books she was reading to get Lucy's head out of this world and into another. Gray tried making her laugh. Even Juvia wasn't yelling at her when she was around Gray. Lucy just put on a fake smile for them, but it didn't fool anyone in the guild hall. To make matters worse Natsu still hadn't woken up. Lucy seemed to get more depressed with each passing day.

Everyone was starting to get worried. Mira was Natsu's primary care taker and assured the whole guild, especially Lucy, that Natsu was fine. His breathing had been completely restored and he was simply just resting. According to Mira he even started to snore some. She said he would be awake in the next couple days. Sure enough as she was calming down her fellow guild mates a loud groan came from upstairs. First everyone was really quiet and next they all started cheering. You would swear that if the Fairy Tail hadn't been rebuilt so well, the roof would have come off from that last cheer. Happy rushed into Natsu's room shouting while tears poured down his face "Your ok Natsu! Your ok!" Apparently he landed on Natsu's chest which caused him to groan in pain and yell out "Hey Happy watch it! Be more careful with where you land!" Happy looking dejected quietly said "Sorry, Natsu". Natsu noticing Happy's demeanor looked down at his Happy and grinned as big as he could. He patted Happy on the head and said "It's ok little buddy. I know it was an accident. Now could you help me up to get some food? I'm starved. "Aye, sir" Happy shouted with pure joy and saluted Natsu.

"Natsu, before you go, I need to see you in my room and ask you a few questions" Makarov sternly stated at Natsu before he could get down stairs for food. "Aww, come on gramps, can't it wait?" Natsu pleaded because of how hungry he was. "No. The sooner you talk to me in my rom the sooner you can go eat." Makarov said annoyed at Natsu's whining. Natsu just grunted but headed into Makarov's room. Happy was told to wait outside since he wanted to talk to Natsu alone. Happy frowned at this, but did as he was told. "Now Natsu, I want you to tell me what happened on your mission" Makarov commanded with and edge of anger in his voice.

_Flashback_

"Come on, Natsu, were going to be late" Lucy shouted at Natsu as he approached the train with his head down mumbling something. "What on earth are you mumbling about, Natsu? Oh, let me guess. You don't want to ride the train because you don't like trains. Is that about right?" Lucy teased Natsu while he approached her.

"So what if I don't like trains" shouted Natsu as he threw his arms in the air and stomped like a child. "Can't we just walk there instead" He pleaded. "Noooo! It's a four day train ride which is almost a month long walk, and I'm not doing that so hurry up and get on the train, Natsu!" Lucy yelled at him since they were now the last two people still standing on the platform of the station.

"But I don't wanna!" Natsu wailed at Lucy like a toddler. Lucy getting visibly agitated at Natsu's current behavior decided there was only one thing left to do. "Lucy kick!" Lucy triumphantly declared as she kicked Natsu onto the train. "Oww, you didn't have to kick me, weirdo. I was going to get onto the train." Natsu said as he rubbed his head where it made impact with the train car's floor. "Well it sure didn't look like it since someone decided that he would act like a whining toddler instead." Lucy indignantly said while scowling at Natsu. "Alright, now hurry up and find us our room" Lucy said while still scowling, and at the same time trying to hide her blush at that fact that she had to share a train car room with Natsu.

"Aye, sir" was how Natsu responded to Lucy's request while saluting her at the same time. "_I hope she doesn't yell at me the whole time. It's a four day train ride. How am I suppose to last that long?_" Natsu groaned to himself as he found the room. He then turned to see Lucy completely spaced out to where she was going to walk right past him. "Hey Luuucy, Luuuucy, what are you staring at, weirdo? I found us the room we got for just the two of us" Natsu said waving his arms in front of the face of blonde dragging her out of her thoughts. Lucy then started to blush and yelled at him "Natsu, we didn't get the room 'for just the two of us'! We simply decided to share one since it was cheaper, and so I could keep an eye on your motion sickness! Also stop calling me a weirdo!" She then proceeded to push him into the room and slam the door shut which greatly confused the dragon slayer.

"Geez, I don't get what you are so embarrassed about Luce. That's the same as what I just said." Natsu stated with a look of complete confusion written across his face. "No it's not! Now just shut-up and put your bags away" commanded a clearly still embarrassed Lucy. "Alright, just don't kick me again." Natsu said as he grinned at Lucy who was still quite flushed at his earlier comments. Lucy then insisted that they go get some seats out with the other passengers. Natsu got really confused by this, but decided it was better not to provoke her so she would calm down.

Natsu found them a booth to themselves so they could sit down. He took the seat by the window and Lucy sat next to him. He then looked out the window as the train engineer stated over the intercom system "We will be departing in five minutes"

"humph" said Natsu dreading the fact that the next four days are probably going the be the worst in his entire life. "_I really hope that Lucy stops acting so weird and mean soon. I took this job because she just seems so upset when she can't pay her rent. I hate it so much seeing her sad. Then when I handed her the job request she lit up and beamed her smile at me. Her smile is so pretty and I really hate to see her so sad, so I couldn't help but smile right back at her. She then asked me if I was sure about the trip even though Wendy couldn't help me with my motion sickness. It really is going to make this miserable, but at the time I couldn't care less. I was just happy that she was happy, so I told her I would lie down in her lap then. I left after that because I was so excited I couldn't think straight."_ Natsu was dragged out of his thoughts because it occurred to him that the train would start moving soon. He then looked over at Lucy who was just staring at him. He waved his hands in front of her yet she still kept staring. He all of a sudden felt really self conscious and decided to shake her a little so she would quit staring.

"Lucy, Luce, Luce!" Natsu half shouted at Lucy while shaking her to get out of her thoughts. Lucy just started to blink her eyes repeatedly at him while coming back to reality. "You were just staring at me, weirdo. Are you ok?" Natsu asked with concern in his voice for his partner. "Y...Yeah I'm fine" Lucy said turning away from Natsu hiding her flushed face from being caught staring at him. "Good, now can I lie my head down in your lap before the train starts moving?" Natsu asked with his big toothed grin.

Lucy nodded her head at him with a blush smeared across her face. He wondered why she would be embarrassed by this since they did this every mission involving a train, but he figured best to ignore it. He laid his head down in her lap and as he did so he noticed just how much he like the way Lucy smelled. It was a warm smell that was sweet at the same time like peaches; he mused to himself. He was pulled out of his thoughts when Lucy started to ask him a question.

"Hey Natsu, why don't you get sick when Happy flies you around?" asked Lucy already knowing the answer. "Because Happy isn't a mode of transportation. He is family." Natsu answered Lucy slightly annoyed at her question because she basically compared Happy to train which he hated. Lucy then smiled at Natsu and asked, "Am I a mode of transportation, Natsu?"

That last question threw him off and made him very confused. "Uhh, N...No" was all Natsu could reply to the last question Lucy asked him "Then how come when you lay your head down in my lap you still get sick." Lucy asked fake pouting at Natsu. Natsu could see her pouting at him, and he just became even more confused. He didn't know how to even answer her so all he responded with was "I d...don't know."

"Well then, since this trip is long; while your head is my lap, don't think that you are riding a train, but instead think that you are using me, your family, to get around." Lucy said sounding quite proud of what she just came up with. "Ok...ka...ay" was all the confused Natsu could say.

Natsu decided to try and take Lucy's advice. Sure enough the train started moving, and surprisingly he didn't really feel sick. He felt kinda sick since only his head was on Lucy, but he felt much better. "Now isn't that better?" Lucy whispered softly into Natsu's ear. He replied by nodding his head in her lap. Shortly after their conversation Natsu fell asleep on Lucy's lap. Lucy started to stroke her hand through Natsu's pink hair much to his surprise. He felt himself give off a sigh as he greatly enjoyed the feeling of Lucy running her hands through his hair. It made him smile.

Later that evening, much to this dismay of Natsu, Lucy wanted to go to their 'shared' room as Lucy kept insisting. He didn't want to since he was very comfortable in her lap, and if they got up he would surely get sick. She forced him to though and as soon as they got up he felt like he was going to throw up. Lucy just grabbed his hand and led the wobbling Natsu to the room. She left him outside because she insisted on changing alone in the 'shared' room which meant Natsu had to fend for himself. He just kept rocking back and forth which only made things much worse. She finally called him saying it was ok to come into the room. He was so sick he didn't care if he slept in his cloths or not. He just took his vest off so he would feel more comfortable. He then got a bright idea. Laying his head in Lucy's lap let him get over his motion sickness so what if he were to lie in the same bed as her. He was quickly reminded he didn't have time to think about the idea so he just crawled into her bed without asking.

"What are you doing in my bed?! We agreed your bed was the top bunk when we got here!" Lucy said with shock and with major embarrassment at Natsu climbing into the same bed with her. "Oh come on, Luce!" Natsu whined at her. "You are the only reason that I haven't been sick this entire trip." He groaned at her. "Besides you smell really good Lucy and I think that's what calms me down when I lay my head in your lap." He said while bearing his head in her hair inhaling quite loudly.

"N...Natsu...u y...you...u c...can't sa...ay th...hings l...lik...ke th...hat...t" Lucy barely got that out as her face turned a completely new shade of red because of her overwhelmingly sudden surprise at Natsu's latest comments. Natsu noticed her embarrassment at what he said which right now he thought was pretty cute. He just couldn't get over how good Lucy smelt at the moment. It was making him happy and he didn't understand why. At the same time he didn't really care why he didn't understand his feeling at the moment. He only cared that he was with Lucy, so he thought it would be best to try to calm her down by saying something nice.

"Why not if it's true?" Natsu happily asked. "So please can I stay here?" he asked the now extremely shy blond. He felt Lucy nod because of how he buried his face in her hair. He wrapped himself around her and pulled her close because something, he wasn't sure what, compelled him do so. "_So this is what it's like to cuddle with a girl. It's really nice. I didn't think that I would even like it, but for some reason because it's Lucy; I can't think of doing anything else right now"_ Natsu happily thought to himself.

Then he felt how tense Lucy was and decided it was best to hug her tighter to make her feel better as he did when they were not sleeping. He also thought it was best to reassure her about how he was feeling so she would calm down. He then leaned toward Lucy's ear and whispered to her "Thank you Luce, this really means a lot". He felt Lucy tense up more at this and thinking she was in some sort of pain he pulled on her tight till her pain went away. Soon enough he felt Lucy completely relax as she fell asleep. He even felt her curl toward him a little. Natsu fell asleep with a smile on his face not even sure why he felt so happy. Much to his surprise and pure delight the rest of their train ride was the same as the first day and Natsu couldn't have been happier.

_End Flashback _

Natsu was telling the master about what happened on the train ride which is something he did notice Lucy left out. He quickly understood why she left that entire part out of her story and even wanted to spare Lucy the embarrassment of Natsu telling him something so personal. He couldn't stop Natsu though since he really needed to hear this to see if his growing suspicions about Natsu were correct. By the time Natsu started to tell of the second day on the train he decided he heard enough about that and cut Natsu off by saying "I already know what happened on the train ride up. I didn't think you would be concerned about that part of your mission. I only need to hear about the part after you figured out the dark guilds were using picto magic." Natsu only nodded and continued his story.

_Flashback_

Making short work of the mages using picto magic was easy once Natsu and Lucy figured out what was going on. When they defeated the last mage all the other enemies in the circle just vanished. Natsu was almost out of magical energy, but he knew the fight wasn't over. He looked over at Lucy and noticed she was just as tired as he was. They had been fighting for hours. He also was cursing himself for letting her get hurt. He didn't care about the bruises he received but he was angry at the fact she was limping and holding her right hand as if both were broken. He got taken out of his thoughts when the man hiding in the shadows decided it was ok to boast some more.

"I'm impressed that you survived. No one has ever seen through our ruse before. However, that doesn't matter because I know your weakness Salamander." The mysterious man cried out.

"I don't have any weaknesses!" Natsu roared back into the darkness indignant that an enemy whose butt he thinks he just kicked would even dare to mock him. Natsu and Lucy were moving in a slow closing arc. Both keeping on their guard, and both trying to make their way back to the center of the circle and at the same time each other.

"Yes you do Salamander, I noticed during the fight that you were quite worried every time your blonde bimbo got hurt or was even about to get hurt. You even rushed to help your blonde bimbo multiple times at the expense of yourself taking damage. It was quite romantic" the man slyly stated.

"Of course I protected her when she needed it. She is my partner. I won't let anyone hurt her" Natsu roared back getting even angrier than before.

"Really? That's all I needed to hear." The man stated. You could feel the wicked grin he was giving off. "Grab the girl" the man quietly ordered. Before Natsu or Lucy could begin to react a man appeared from the darkness behind Lucy and Natsu. He wrapped his arms around Lucy restraining her. He then placed a small knife at her neck while dragging her as far away from Natsu as he could.

"LET HER GO OR I'LL…" Natsu roared with pure rage coming from the dragon slayer's voice as he started to make a move to save Lucy.

"Or you will do what exactly" The man whom Natsu turned his back while he was trying to protect Lucy mockingly asked. "You are going to do exactly as I say or the girl dies". The man calmly stated as if her life was worthless. Just as he said this, the man holding Lucy pressed the knife on Lucy's neck and drew a small amount of blood which caused her wince at the pain. The mysterious man finally came out of the shadows and was in full view of Natsu and Lucy. "You are going to get rid of all that fire around your body right now and kneel before me and if you do not do it within the next five seconds your blonde bimbo dies" the man threatened with eerie calmness in his voice. The smile that grew on his face was one of a sick man who enjoys watching things suffer.

"5…" Natsu was just glaring at the man with the fire actually currently increasing around him since his rage was boiling over more than it ever had. "4…" Natsu realized he had actually increased the fire around him. He knew the only way Lucy could be safe is if he backed off so he so he started to calm himself down "3…" He managed to pull himself out of a fighting stance. "_I have to do what he says dammit! I can't let that bastard hurt Lucy! If I don't, Lucy will die!" _Natsu roared inside his head causing him to shake. He noticed that Lucy had begun sobbing much to his dismay. "2…" He was able start to pull the fire back. As he did so he noticed Lucy started to freak out. She was screaming at him but he couldn't let up. Her cries of pain were making it that much harder on him as he fell to his knees. "_Lucy please stop crying. Please I'm begging you. I'm may never get to see you again so please stop crying Lucy. I just want you to be ok._" Natsu was dragged out of his thoughts when he saw a man with a sword approach him. For some reason he felt that he needed to smile at Lucy one more time. Therefore before the inevitable, he turned around to look at Lucy while he put the biggest smile on his face for her and mouthed the words "Everything is going to be ok, Luce." He then felt the sword impaling him from behind. After that he felt himself hit the ground, but he couldn't move anymore. He knew he was dying, but he kept Lucy safe, so to Natsu that is all that mattered. He then heard Lucy scream out in pain.

Natsu began to stiffen, but couldn't move. "_MOVE DAMMIT! I DON'T CARE IF I WAS JUST IMPALED, THEY ARE HURTING LUCY! I SAID MOVE!_" Natsu was roaring in his head. He heard Lucy's constant shrieks of pain echoing through the forest. He still was desperately trying to move "_ARE YOU A DRAGON SLAYER OR NOT! LUCY IS ON THE GROUND AND YOU CAN'T EVEN GET UP TO HELP HER! YOU PIECE OF TRASH. GET! UP! AND! MOVE!"_ Natsu was boiling over with rage, but still couldn't get up to help Lucy. He then heard all of her cries of pain stop. Natsu started to panic. "_Did she just die?! No, No, No, No, NOOO! She can't be dead, she just can't! I only did this so she wouldn't die! THOSE FUCKING BASTARDS! I'M GOING TO KILL THEM FOR EVER THINKING THEY COULD TOUCH MY LUCY!"_ He had never experienced this kind of rage before. He wasn't even thinking. He just stood in the air as if nothing happened to him. He was acting on pure instinct alone.

Natsu didn't notice because of his rage, but he had entered dragon force. Not only that, but it's the kind of dragon force that the dragons themselves feared because this was the only power in the entire world that could slay them. The dark guild masters were paralyzed with fear. They had heard rumors and legends about dragon slayers being this powerful, but nobody ever even thought it was possible. What they saw before them wasn't human. It was the devil himself.

Natsu had been completely surrounded by his orange flames. Instead of just coating his body though, they extended far into the sky. It formed an orange pillar around him. The light he was giving off was so bright that the entire town, which had stayed awake due to the loud noises of the battle, stared in awe and fear. The heat which the flames were giving off burned everything in close proximity to Natsu. There was so much heat from the fire his recent injury began to burn and cauterizes shut. His magic of resisting being burned by fire was having trouble keeping up with the intensity of the flames. From the outside looking in, only the silhouette of Natsu was currently visible if you weren't blinded by the flames. His eyes were black. He looked as though he was the devil himself. Once the flames dissipated you could see what Natsu really looked like. He was covered in scales from head to toe. The scales had slightly red color and his teeth increased in length. His eyes had turned golden and looked as though he were in fact a dragon in human form.

Natsu roared out like a dragon causing his opponents to temporarily quake in fear. "I'M GOING TO KILL YOU FOR WHAT YOU DID FOR LUCY" Natsu said while snarling and roaring at the men. The man in charge of everything responded by shouting at his men to fight back. It was too late. The man who had held the knife on Lucy was already having his throat crushed by Natsu as he held him in the air. The man couldn't breathe and Natsu tossed him to the side with such a force he crashed through 100 trees effectively almost killing him. The man who had impaled him was given a similar fate. Natsu grabbed him by the face and threw him on the ground. The impact made a small crater 15 feet in diameter with the man at the center of it. He was no longer breathing properly, but again Natsu didn't kill him. Natsu then turned to the man in charge and whispered "You…" Before this man had time to react Natsu held him the air by his throat and began to squeeze. Blood started dripping around Natsu's fingers as he did so and the man could no longer breathe. Natsu then set him on fire. Natsu was burning him alive, but then he stopped. Natsu didn't kill him, but instead gave him a fate much worse. He maimed him. He was no longer recognizable as human being, but more looked like a burnt corpse. Natsu had burned him long enough to remove most of the skin on his body, but still have most of his nerves in tack. Therefore for the rest of the man's natural life any time he decided to move, he would be reminded of the day he tried to kill him and Lucy. Natsu then threw him on the ground and walked back towards Lucy.

Natsu's rage left him as soon as it entered him and he fell to his knees at Lucy. "L...Lucy, y...ou...u c...can't b...be d...dead...d, y...you j...just c...can't" Natsu chocked out as tears started flowing from his eyes. "I need you Luce, you can't leave me here alone, I don't want to lose you; I can't lose you" Natsu was blubbering out while he was picking up Lucy hugging her close as if it would bring her back. He then felt her inhale. His eyes went wide. "You're alive. You didn't leave me after all" He whispered with joy. He then realized she was fading fast. He picked Lucy up with one hand on her back and with one hand under her knees. He made sure her head rested against his chest, and he ran back to the town screaming for a doctor.

Natsu got back into the town and found the doctor who was awake because of the fight. He insisted that Natsu needed to be looked at first, but Natsu commanded him with a growl in his voice to treat Lucy. Out of fear, the doctor complied with Natsu's order. He set all of her breaks and attempted to heal her damaged insides, but it was so extensive he couldn't do much. He then told Natsu that he had done all he could for her, and only time would tell. Natsu then proceeded to leave, but the doctor made him sit back down so he could look at Natsu's own injury. He cleaned and dressed Natsu's wound. He also stitched it up and told Natsu to stay and rest. Natsu ignored the doctor because as soon as he was finished he left. Natsu went to go see the mayor about the job. The mayor paid him and even tried to pay him more once he found out what really happened. Natsu declined this offer saying that it would disgrace the Fairy Tail guild if he took more than was offered. He then picked up his travel supplies and looked at the man and asked him if he would mail back Lucy's belongings. He told Natsu it would be done as soon as the train was fixed and mail routes went back to their normal routines. Natsu thanked the man and headed back to the doctor's house to fetch Lucy. Natsu picked Lucy up in the same way he had done before when he brought her to the doctor and walked out against the doctor's orders. The doctor shouted at him that while carrying her that way would not hurt her, but his wound would surely open up. When that happened he would start to bleed everywhere and die if he didn't get medical attention. Natsu shrugged him off by thanking the man for everything he had done. Natsu then started his long journey home carrying an unconscious Lucy.

_End Flashback_

"That's everything that happened gramps. Any time I thought the hold in my chest would open up I burned it closed. I carried Lucy home and you know the rest." Natsu said as he finished his story of what happened during the mission. "Can I go eat now?" Natsu hopefully asked.

"No, you may not go eat yet." Makarov angrily stated to Natsu. "Wait, what are you so mad about master?" Natsu worryingly asked. "I'm mad Natsu because what happened to you and Lucy should have never happened." Makarov again stated with anger in his voice. "I know it…" Natsu tried saying, but the master cut him off.

"You don't seem to get what I'm saying so I will try to get you to understand in a different way. If you were on the mission with Erza would you have done the same thing?" Makarov calmly said because he realized Natsu is oblivious to what is going on and being angry doesn't help at all. Natsu was silent at first to think about his reply. "No, I don't think I would have." Natsu said quietly.

"I see. So you would have let Erza die but not Lucy; is that correct?" The master asked intending to get a rise out of Natsu. "No, I would have hit who ever had Erza in the face! I wouldn't let her die!" Natsu yelled at the master.

"Then why didn't you do the same thing when it was Lucy!?" The master yelled right back at Natsu. Natsu was shocked at first which caused him to quiet it down "I...I don't know. I just couldn't think once Lucy was like that. I couldn't bear her getting hurt. It was the only thought in my mind." Natsu quietly stated with his head falling.

"Boy, your reckless actions almost got both you and Lucy killed. What's worse is Lucy thinks everything that happened to you and her was her fault. It has been written across her face this entire week." Makarov lectured at Natsu. All Natsu could do was feel his heart break at that statement. "_Why does it hurt my heart so much knowing Lucy thinks it is her fault? I mean of course it's not but this is different."_ Natsu was quickly thinking, but the master dragged him out of his thoughts with another question.

"Do you know why you did that Natsu?" Natsu could only shake his head no in response. The master then sighed. "When you are on a mission with Lucy your emotions are clouding your judgment. That's why you did it. You let the fact that you love Lucy cloud your better judgment and that ended up with the two of you being hurt." Natsu looked up in complete shock at the last thing Makarov said. "_Do I love her? I mean her smile fills me with happiness. I like her scent better than anyone else's including Happy's scent. The thought of even being around her makes me smile…"_ Natsu got forcibly removed from his thoughts when the master who was clearly annoyed with the fact that Natsu had to even think about it angrily stated. "Of course you love her you idiot. You wouldn't have been thinking about losing her so much or crying so much when you thought she died." Natsu just stopped thinking and looked up realizing that he did indeed love Lucy.

Makarov sighed once he finally saw that Natsu understood the implications of his actions. "While I'm happy for you understanding your feelings I cannot allow the two of you to go on mission alone anymore." The master stated with a slight hint of sorrow in is voice. Natsu was about yell at him, but the master cut him off saying "That being said. You can still go on missions together as long as someone else is there. I don't mean Happy because while he is a valued member of the guild; he wouldn't be able to stop you from letting your emotions cloud your judgment. Erza or Gray must accompany you anytime you wish to go on a mission with Lucy from now on." Natsu again began to protest which angered Makarov. He half shouted at Natsu "What happened on your mission could have been prevented. If you did not act so foolishly then Lucy and you would not have gone through something so traumatic. She thinks it is her fault that you almost died when in reality it was you not controlling your emotions that nearly got the both of you killed." Makarov's annoyance at repeating himself left him when he saw that Natsu had lowered his head finally comprehended the full scope of his actions. Now that Natsu understood everything he softened his tone for his next statement. "Natsu, even with all I said, the foe you went up against should not have ever been attempted by just you and Lucy. Had anyone know it was three dark guilds then at least Erza and Gray would have been sent with you. So before you go blaming yourself remember that I don't even consider what happened to you and Lucy your fault. Regardless of your actions the events that occurred were not your fault. You had no way of knowing what was to come. I'm sorry I sound so harsh at what happened. It could not have been easy for you either. I just needed you to understand the implications of what you did during the mission." Natsu only nodded in agreement thankful the master did not blame him even if he was currently having his heart ripped in half because he was blaming himself for what happened. "Natsu, you need to go comfort Lucy and tell her everything is ok. You need to tell her how you feel about her. She probably thinks you hate her since she believes it was her fault. You need to make her understand that is not the case. I want you to go do this right now even before you eat. Do you understand?" Makarov sternly said. Natsu nodded and walked out of the room in great pain over Lucy thinking that it was her fault and at the fact that she thought he hated her.

Lucy this entire time had feared Natsu coming out of the master's room. She figured he wouldn't even speak to her and that he would just glare at her. She couldn't take it. She felt tears coming to her eyes when something much worse happened. "Lucy, Lucy? Hey there you are. I really need to talk to you about some stuff. Can we go somewhere private?" Natsu asked Lucy while grinning at her hoping she would take the hint that he didn't hate her. Lucy only sat in panic and then ran out of the guild crying quite loudly. Natsu got up immediately and followed her. He needed to catch up quick. He could tell it was about to rain.


	5. Rainy Day

**Author's Note: **Thanks again to everyone who has commented on my story. I really to appreciate it, and I'm really glad so many of you like my story. I really hope this chapter does not disappoint anyone. **Also** This next part is important so listen up. This is not the last chapter. I repeat this is not the last chapter. That's all for now except...

As always I own absolutely nothing in regards to _Fairy Tail_

* * *

><p>Lucy was currently running home. She could barely see with all the tears streaming out of her eyes. She didn't even know she could cry this much. She wasn't ready to face Natsu after what happened. She couldn't take the thought that he was indeed angry with her for everything that happened. The thought that he hated her was making her wish she never even had joined Fairy Tail. The thought was making her want to leave Fairy Tail; leave all of her friends and memories behind because if she lost him then life wouldn't be worth living any more. So she kept running. She kept running hoping that the day she had to face Natsu would never come and that she would never receive his hate for her. She finally made it back to her house and went inside and quickly locked the door. She was still very sore from what happened to her, so she collapsed against the inside of her front door and began to sob. She pulled herself into a fetal position somehow hoping that if she couldn't see the world then the world could no longer make her feel pain.<p>

Natsu was following Lucy. He was trying to keep up with her, but he quickly had to stop running. Then constant pounding from his feet against the pavement as he ran was too much for his healing injury to take. Even breathing in and out was causing the injury to sear against him as if molten metal was being poured over him. He wanted to bear the pain and keep moving forward. He had to keep moving forward and make it to Lucy. He needed to tell her how what happened during the mission was not her fault. He needed to tell her that he held no ill will against her for what happened, and still wanted to be partners. Most importantly, He needed to tell her that he loved her and never wanted to see her go. Therefore even if he couldn't run anymore and the pain made him want to pass out, he had to reach her. It was just like when he had to get back to Magnolia with her in his arms. No matter what he went through, he was not going to stop carrying her back. So now nothing, not his pain, not his cowardice at confessing his feelings to her, or his hunger was going to stop him from reaching the woman he loved.

Natsu finally reached Lucy's door. Before he could knock to call out to her, he noticed a small noise coming from inside. He paused and started to listen. He heard Lucy sobbing and mumbling things to herself that he could not comprehend. This just made Natsu all the more determined to make things right between them. He inhaled a rather large amount of air and exhaled it all trying to calm himself down before he knocked on her door. Once this was done he reached out and proceeded to knock on Lucy's door and call out to her.

"Lucy, I know you are in there. I really need talk to you about what happened during our mission. What I have to say is really important so please talk to me, Luce." Natsu was basically pleading to her because he was aware of how scared she must be right now.

Lucy was crying so much that she actually thought she may never stop crying again. Why would she. She had managed to effectively almost kill the person she held most dear in this world, all because she was too weak to protect herself. She didn't know how much longer she could take feeling this overwhelming amount of pain. Then Natsu knocked on the door calling out to her. Lucy went into a shocked panicked state and her mind started racing. "_Oh, NOOO! Why is he here right now? Can't he tell that I don't want to talk to him? He must really hate me if he won't leave me alone right now. God! I can't take anymore of this. I can't see him. Why does God hate me so much? What did I ever do to deserve so much pain? I want to be left alone so I can die alone because that is the only way the pain will go away. I've lost my best friend in the whole world whom I just found out I loved all because I'm so weak. Who was I kidding when I came here? I'll never be strong enough to be a real Fairy Tail wizard._" Lucy then began to sobbing once again not paying any mind to the man outside.

Natsu was waiting for Lucy's response. He knew that she didn't want to see him when she ran off the way she did with all the crying. He really hated seeing her cry. It made him want to hold her in his arms, pull her in close to his chest, and whisper to her everything was going to be ok until her pain went away. He then heard Lucy start to sob after he asked if he could talk to her. That made him quite upset and angry. He was angry at himself for ever hurting her this much. He wanted to just punch himself like he would punch Gray when he got really mad at him. Natsu then looked up in shock and bumped himself on the head for being so stupid. He was approaching this situation the entirely wrong way. Lucy was so upset because she believed that he hated her for what happened. She also thinks that he blamed her as well. The latter would have to be explained, but he could at least tell her the first part through the door. Maybe then she would let him in.

"Lucy, please stop crying. I'm begging you to stop. I don't hate you Lucy. You are my partner and nothing is ever going to change that. Please Lucy, open the door and let me in. I really need to tell you some important stuff. I promise that I don't hate you Lucy. I really really don't. So please Lucy, open the door." Natsu pleaded with all his heart to Lucy. He stomped his feet some while pleading thinking she might hear how desperate he was to talk to her.

Lucy on the other hand was still crying as she was ignoring Natsu. She wanted him to go away so badly, but some part of her was still listening. She looked up and her heart stopped when she heard the words 'I don't hate you Lucy.'. "_He doesn't hate me. He doesn't hate me. HE DOESN'T HATE ME!_" she practically screamed in her head. She began to cry more. This time it wasn't because she was so sad, but rather just relieved that Natsu didn't hate her. More thoughts came rushing in to her head though, "_Why doesn't he hate me? That doesn't make any sense. He must be here to tell me that he may not hate me, but that we can't be friends anymore…_" She was pulled from her thoughts when Natsu started pleading again for her to open up the door swearing the entire time that he didn't hate her one bit. She knew that she couldn't avoid Natsu any longer and began to get up so she could open the door.

"Luce…" was all Natsu could breathe out as Lucy opened the door revealing herself to him. Her eyes were completely red from crying so much. She was pale as if she were sick. She looked thin because of begin passed out so long and because she hadn't been eating much during the week. Natsu noticed that she only allowed the door to crack open because she didn't want him to come inside. Lucy then began to say the first words to Natsu she had spoken to him since the battle.

"Y...you d...don't hate meee?" was all Lucy could managed to get out in a very small whisper. Natsu shook his head with concern filled eyes for Lucy. What happened next surprised Natsu considering how Lucy was acting just moments earlier. Lucy flung the door opened and ran into Natsu causing him to wince at the pain. Lucy didn't seem to notice as her arms grasped on to him as if she let go he would just fade away. She started cry tears of joy into his chest and hugged him tighter. "I thought you hated me Natsu. I didn't want you to hate me. I didn't want to lose you. I was so scared that you didn't want to ever see me again. It hurt so bad Natsu" Lucy blubbered this over and over again into his chest. Natsu responded by placing one of his hands on her head and the other on the small of her back. He pulled her in closer to him whispering "Shhhhhh, everything is alright now. I promise."

After a few minutes of standing on her porch, Lucy calmed down and had stopped crying. Natsu just warmly smiled at her. It was melting her heart so that all those tiny pieces were coming back together. She felt like she could stare at his smile forever. At that time it began to start raining so they both thought it was best to head inside. Natsu was happy to see Lucy had calmed down and stopped crying. He would now finally have the chance to talk to her and explain everything. Hopefully she would understand and the part that scared him most was her rejecting him when he confessed to her. Lucy suggested they go sit in her room since she knew Natsu wanted to talk about the mission with her. It made her quite nervous and she was still doubting herself, but she knew it had to be done. Natsu simply nodded and followed her to her room.

Once they made it inside Lucy's room she sat on the bed and motioned to Natsu to do the same. He complied and sat next to her. For a short time no one spoke. The rain outside had picked up and turned into a storm. "_I guess we have to have this talk now since he can't leave because it's raining so hard. Oh God! What if he doesn't want to be partners anymore and he can't leave until tomorrow. I can't go through that!_" Lucy quickly thought to herself tears welling up in her eyes. Natsu started to speak first to prevent Lucy from crying more. "Listen Luce, this is hard to say so I'm going to just say it." Lucy's heart felt like to might explode as it hung in her throat making her stop breathing. "We can't go on missions anymore together…" He trailed off because the effect on Lucy was immediate. He should have expected this, but how fast she started crying again shocked him.

"You bastard, you lied to me! You said you didn't hate me but you lied to me! Why would you lie to me like that Natsu?" Lucy began violently hitting Natsu on the chest and screamed that at him through her sobs. Natsu didn't budge even though the pain he was experiencing was enormous. He could handle his physical pain, but what he couldn't handle was how much Lucy was crying. It must be because he loved her he thought because seeing her this distraught destroyed him. As Lucy was hitting and screaming at him she noticed that her hand was hitting something wet which didn't make sense. She then stopped realizing what she was doing. Natsu had a giant wound on his chest which she was hitting. She was making him bleed and probably feel a tremendous amount of pain. At this she shrieked and hugged him again blubbering through her sobs "I'm so sorry Natsu. I didn't mean to hurt you, I really didn't. I just don't want you to quit being my partner." She hugged him tight and whispered out, "I'm so so sorry, Natsu"

All Natsu did was bear the pain and wrap his arms around the crying mage which he loved with all his heart. He started whispering in her ear, "Lucy, it's ok. It's really ok, I promise. I know you didn't mean to hurt me. You are just scared and upset right now. I didn't lie to you. I don't hate you. I will never hate you in a million years. We are still partners. You didn't lose me, I promise you that. Please let me explain everything to you before you react. It will all make sense soon enough. Please stop crying, Luce. I don't like when you cry." He then started to pull her off his chest so he could smile at her. He then wiped the tears off her face and kept smiling at her. Lucy even managed to smile a small smile back and then he hugged her. Natsu then pulled Lucy off of him for a moment and began to take off his bandages. Lucy hid her face not wanting to see what happened since it would only make her cry more. Natsu then place his finger where he was bleeding and burned the wound shut. He rewrapped the bandages while telling Lucy is was ok to look now. Lucy looked up and saw that he wasn't bleeding anymore and it made her feel a little better.

"Please listen Lucy. Ok? Let me say it this way so you can understand. We can only go on missions together if Erza or Gray goes with us. We can't even go on a mission together even if Happy goes with us. It's the master's orders." Lucy then interrupted quite confused at this last part by saying "Master's orders? I don't understand Natsu."

Natsu then sighed as the next part was going to be hard and it scared him to death. "Yes it's the master's orders for us to not go on missions alone anymore. He said it's because…" Natsu paused since the next part he was having difficulty getting out. "Because of what Natsu?" Lucy asked quite confused which turned to concern as she looked up to see the pained expression on Natsu's face. "It's because… because…" Natsu just couldn't bring himself to say the next part to Lucy. He was so scared that she would realize he was right and hate him, or that she wouldn't hate him, but just reject him when he confessed to her. "Because what Natsu?" Lucy worryingly and impatiently asked.

"It's because everything that happened to you and I on our mission was my fault." Natsu quietly stated as he looked at the ground with tears welling up. "Natsu it's not.." Natsu then abruptly cut her off saying through small tears, "Yes it is. If I didn't let my emotions get the best of me then you wouldn't have gotten captured. I wouldn't have made you watch what happened to me either" he said this while jabbing a thumb into his chest causing him to wince at the pain. "I'm so sorry Lucy, I'm so sorry. I almost got you killed and what's worse is I've put you through more pain than I can imagine. I'm so sorry. If I had just controlled my emotions better then we wouldn't be in this mess!" Natsu said through his tears. Lucy started to hug him to console him.

"Natsu it's not your fault. You saved my life just like you always do. You really are amazing you know that? I promise that it's not your fault. If it's anyone's fault, it's mine. I was too weak to defend myself…" Lucy trailed off tears starting to form again. Natsu just shook his head disagreeing with her as he started to calm down. One thing was bothering Lucy. "_What did Natsu mean when he said he couldn't control his emotions? Natsu has never been good at that in fights and that has led him to destroy entire towns, but the master has only ever yelled at Natsu for this. This doesn't make any sense…_" Natsu looked up and could see Lucy's thoughts all over her face. He proceeded to grab her chin and pull it up so he could look at her. Lucy's eyes went wide wondering what Natsu was doing and she saw him sigh with the same pained expression in his eyes as earlier. "Lucy, it's because I love you that master said we can't go on missions alone anymore. The instant you got restrained my only thought was about losing you, so I didn't think straight and caused all of this. My love for you clouded my judgment causing you to almost be killed and what's worse is it has made you cry so much it makes me so sad. I'm so sorry Lucy. Please don't cry anymore. I never blamed you once for what happened. I'm so sorry, Lucy. Please don't cry anymore, I don't like it when you cry." Natsu pleaded toward Lucy putting his head down.

"Love…" Lucy breathed out. "_He loves me. I can't believe it. He actually loves me!_" Lucy thought as she was shocked. She then started to cry again. "_Why do I have to cry so much?!_" Lucy mentally scolded herself. Natsu felt her crying and started to plead for her to stop and saying how sorry he was that he got her hurt. Lucy wasn't crying because she was sad, in pain, or feeling the world hated her. She was crying since never in her life had she been so happy.

Lucy then lifted Natsu's chin so he was now looking at her again. Lucy then crushed her lips against Natsu's causing him to be shocked and really confused. Natsu the relaxed and started to kiss her back. Lucy used this and put her arms around his neck and pulled him in closer. Natsu placed one hand on her thigh to rest it there while the other was cupping her cheek softly in his hand. Lucy pulled away from the kiss because she was out of breath and looked up at Natsu with new hope in her eyes. "I...I l...love y...you too, Natsu. I was so worried you were going to hate me. I'm so happy right now that I'm still crying." She laughed at that last part and pulled Natsu in for another kiss. Natsu kissed her back, but he pulled away. Lucy was hurt by this and didn't understand why he would do so. "I thought you said you loved me. I don't understand…" New tears were forming in her eyes because she was confused and hurt but Natsu had cut her off by putting a finger to her lips. "Lucy, I do love you. Let me explain, please." Lucy only nodded since Natsu had to explain why he couldn't kiss her which really hurt her feelings. She started to panic "_What if he meant he loved me like family? How could I be so stupid? I kissed him without thinking! That doesn't make sense though because he kissed me back. What if only did that so I'd stop kissing him. That doesn't make sense either. If he loves me why doesn't want to kiss me then?_" Lucy's thoughts were racing a mile a minute and she was pulled from her thoughts when Natsu started to speak to her again.

"Look Lucy, This is kinda hard to explain." Natsu sighed but then continued on, "Dragon slayers can only ever have one mate." Natsu paused to look at Lucy who was bewildered with his comments and wondered what that has to do with kissing. Natsu sighed again. "Let me explain it differently. Dragon slayers can only 'kiss' their mates. They can only do those things with them ok? Do you understand now Lucy?" He asked tentatively.

Lucy was confused, but responded none the less trying to sound confident. "Natsu, I love you so I'll be your mate now, ok?" Lucy was trying to make him feel better, but it was no use. She saw Natsu let out yet another sigh. "I wish it was that easy Luce, but that's not how it works." Natsu got quiet and stopped because of what he was about to tell her could ruin what he had just gained. Lucy was worried so she leaned down so his onyx eye could me her brown ones, and she sweetly whispered, "Then explain it to me, Natsu" Natsu could see the love and concern for him in her eyes so he decided he could continue.

"In order to be a dragon slayer's mate the dragon slayer has to mark them which effectively claims them as their own…" Lucy blushed at this, but still interrupted Natsu saying "Then mark me as your mate, Natsu. I love you and if that's what it takes then I want you to do it." Natsu sighed again and looked pain which worried Lucy. She was about to ask, but he started talking before she could, "It's not that easy Lucy… dragon slayers can only ever have one mate in their lives. Once that person is there mate; there is no turning back from it. The best comparison I can make is that it is like marriage. Being a mate to a dragon slayer is like being married to him or her. The difference is that once a dragon slayer finds and marks a mate, they can never do it again. In fact if the mate leaves them then the dragon slayer can actually die from a broken heart. Even if they don't die they can never love anyone else ever again." Natsu stopped to look at Lucy. She looked quite shocked and worried over this news. Natsu didn't want to, but he continued anyway. "Lucy I love you and I really do want you to be my mate, but that means you can never ever be with anyone else. We would essentially be married." He paused looking at Lucy to gauge her reactions. She was clearly lost in thought over what she had been told, but she was still listening to him since she noticed he had stopped. She looked up at him wondering if that was all she needed to know. Natsu then began to say something that scared him more than anything, "Lucy Heartfilia, will you be my mate?"

Lucy looked shocked and then looked down not knowing how to answer his question. She wanted to scream yes, but was she ready to commit that much. "_I've never been in love before so what if this was just deep friendship I'm currently feeling. What if_ _this was all just overflowing emotions from our traumatic experience? I can't say yes to him only to break his heart later. I would never forgive myself._" Lucy was currently thinking to herself. Natsu saw that she was having great difficulty answering which hurt deeply, but at the same time he couldn't blame her. What he just asked was a big deal and he probably just asked Lucy one of the hardest questions she had ever been asked. Natsu then decided since she was indeed trying to make a decision he should tell her one more thing. Natsu started talking again which ripped Lucy from her thoughts causing her to stare at him with fear that she had taken too long to decide, "Lucy I know what I just asked you was something you cannot answer right away. I love you so I will wait for your answer." He paused again, but continued on. "One more thing you should know, once a dragon slayer marks his mate, they have to…ummm… havesexrightafter!" Natsu rushed that last part out with his eyes closed. Lucy went wide eyed and looked up at him really confused because her decision was hard enough already. Natsu opened his eyes and noticed this so he tried to calm down from his embarrassment and tried to explain, "It's because when making the mark it's a really special process that links the two partner's magic, but only using the dragon slayers magic to do so. This causes the dragon slayer to immediately…umm…w…want their p…partner. If they don't then the dragon slayer goes insane." Natsu barely managed to get it out. Lucy brought her eyes down with a look of sadness and complete understanding. She now was fully aware of what Natsu asked her and was currently too scared to answer. Natsu spoke again before she could fall into her thoughts "I know I have just asked more than I deserve from you" Natsu looked away wincing, "but I do want you to answer me. You can take your time with it though. I know that you will need it. I'm going leave your room to let you think" With that, Natsu got up to leave. Lucy looked up wanting to stop him, but it was too late he had already gone. She was now alone to think about Natsu's request.

Natsu went to the kitchen trying to distract himself. As he walked toward the fridge he noticed an abnormally loud boom of thunder in the background. "_Greeeaattt. Now I'm stuck here even if she says no. AHHHHHH! Why did I have to ask her that now?! She had just gotten happy again and I throw a bomb in her face. Like 'since your life hasn't recently been hard enough already, let me make it harder by forcing you to answer the most difficult question you could possibly be asked right now'_" He mocked himself inside his head. "_Why do I have to be so stupid sometimes? UHHHH! I need to stop thinking!_" Natsu internally yelled at himself. He just raided Lucy's fridge and ate everything in sight because he was actually starving, and he was trying to force all the thoughts out of his head while he waited for Lucy's response.

Meanwhile Lucy did not have near as easy of a time as Natsu of distracting herself, or even keeping herself calm. Her mind was racing with thoughts. "_N…Natsu…u wants me to be his mate?! He actually loves me that much?! I don't know if I can though. I mean what if I regret it later and break his heart, and then he dies?! I can't do that to him. I would probably die if I hurt him that much. I love him. Do I really though? I've never been in love before so how am I sure this is love?!_" Lucy was starting to have a panic attack and she felt tears coming to her eyes. Lucy then angrily shouted inside her head, "_NO! Don't you cry Lucy Heartfilia! You don't get to cry! The man you love has asked you to basically marry him, so you need to calm down right now and come up with an answer!_" Now that her shouting was done she tried calming herself down. This consisted of her laying down in her bead, closing her eyes, and taking deep breaths. She calmed down and then felt herself get quite tired because of the position she was in. She shot up to avoid falling asleep so she could answer Natsu. "_Do you love him enough to make that commitment toward him? Why do you even think you love him?"_ Lucy mentally paused. "_I love it when he smiles at me. I love how he is always so concerned for me such as when I can't pay rent. I love how he tries his best to always be there for me no matter what. I love his childish antics because they make him look cute. I loved it when he came to cuddle with me all because he thought my scent was nice so it kept him from being sick. I also love the fact that he trusts and loves me enough to ask me to be his mate. He essentially just asked me to marry him._" Lucy who had calmed down turned a deep red color at her thoughts especially the idea of her and Natsu being married. It gave her butterflies in her stomach.

She thought she was ready to give Natsu his answer when another thought hit her over the head, "_Am I ready to have sex with him? I don't know. I mean that was the first time I had even kissed a guy when I kissed Natsu! How am I supposed to be ready for sex? I love the idea of him asking me to marry him, but at least then there is an engagement so we have time for, THAT, to naturally occur. Am I ready to give myself body and soul to him?_" Lucy began to groan. She wanted to say yes, but she was scared about the second part. She wanted to be with Natsu more than anything, but she wasn't sure if she was ready to do, THAT, but if she said yes she would have too. Lucy kept groaning and threw herself into her pillow so Natsu couldn't here. "_Alright it's now or never Lucy. What's it going to be? Will you say yes and be with Natsu forever along with having to lose your virginity, or will you say no?_" Lucy's internal pep talk wasn't working since she wasn't any closer to an answer. She needed to calm down Lucy thought to herself. "_Am I really ready for this? I love him so much, but am I ready?" _Lucy got ripped from her thoughts as thunder boomed scaring her and making her scream. Natsu then rushed into her room.

"Lucy, are you ok, I heard you scream!" Natsu said with panic and concern in his voice. "Yeah, I'm fine, Natsu. The thunder just startled me is all." Lucy replied assuring Natsu she was fine.

"That's good…Its been about two hours since I left. Have you made a decision yet?" Natus said with hope and worry intertwined in his voice. "_Have I really kept him waiting two hours?! God, he must be in so much pain right now. I need to come up with an answer_" Lucy yelled at herself. Natsu noticed she didn't answer for some time and knew the answer to his latest question. "Ok then…" he sighed wishing she would answer soon. "I'll leave you alone to think some more." Natsu then got up to leave.

Lucy looked up and thought "_Please don't go. I need you._" Right after this, she knew her answer. Natsu was at the door now about to close it, and she shouted for him "Natsu wait!" Natsu turned around and looked at her. He came back in and stood at the door way too scared to come any closer to Lucy. Lucy saw this and got up and walked toward him. Natsu flinched and closed his eyes as she placed her hand on his cheek. Lucy with eyes full of love and affection quietly said "Yes…" Natsu's eyes shot opened and went wide. He looked down at Lucy pleading with his eyes what he had just heard had been correct. Lucy just kept looking at him with love and with a warm smile sweetly said, "Yes Natsu, I would love to be your mate." Natsu responded to this by hugging and pulling Lucy as close as he could to his chest. She hugged him back still smiling and whirling at what she just told Natsu. When she saw him leave, she just knew she wanted him to stay with her. When she realized that, she knew she could say yes to him and that was the only thing she wanted.

"Lucy, I love you so much, thank you. You don't know how much it means to me to hear you say that" Natsu said with warmth as he hugged Lucy. Lucy quietly and happily responded, "I love you too Natsu"

A thought hit Lucy's head that bothered her, but didn't deter her from what she had told him. "Hey Natsu… how do dragon slayers mark their mates?" Overwhelming curiosity was consuming her right now. "Oh… a dragon slayer has to bite their mate, and then their magic flows into them. This causes a mark to form wherever the bite is placed." Natsu answered rather sheepishly.

"Ok then… does it hurt?" There was more fear in her voice than she had intended. Natsu heard her fear and pulled her out from their embrace and looked down at her fear filled brown eyes and warmly smiled at her. "I don't really know since you can only do it once, but I would imagine it will hurt some since I have to bite down into your flesh to make the mark. Though I think as soon as my magic enters it heals the bite and the pain goes away."

"Ok… Natsu what does the mark look like?" More curiosity was in her voice since Natsu had calmed her down. "You sure have a lot of questions, don't you luce?" Natsu teased at her. Lucy's jaw dropped at this last comment in indignation. "Well, I'm just curious since I'm basically agreeing to marry you, you jerk!" Lucy half shouted at Natsu and started to fake pout at him. Natsu just laughed at her and responded to her question. "The mark takes on the form of a small dragon. The color will be decided from what element the dragon slayer uses. Since I use fire, a small little red dragon will appear as your mark." After hearing this Lucy beamed up at Natsu and said "Perfect, I wouldn't want it any other way" Natsu just nuzzled Lucy on her head causing Lucy to blush. "Hey Natsu… how do you know all this stuff?" Lucy asked with the same curiosity in her voice. Natsu intentionally made a show of rolling his eyes at her which caused Lucy to go into a fake pout. Natsu smiled at her thinking how cute she was when she did that and happily replied "Igneel told me of course!" "Of course he did" Lucy muttered to herself and then she looked up and met Natsu's onyx eyes never being more sure of anything she had ever done in her life.

She could feel her desire growing for Natsu. Lucy started really liking the idea of her being his forever and him being hers forever. Lucy then looked up at Natsu with a deep crimson blush across her face. "Natsu do you think you could do the mark now…I mean… if you want too…" Lucy was rambling with great anticipation in her voice. Natsu again nuzzled her and then leaned down into her ear and whispered "Sure, whatever you want, Luce. Just hold still for a moment."

Natsu then lowered his head further so it was even with the left side of her neck. Sweat starting forming little droplets on his forehead since he was so nervous, but he carried on since Lucy, soon to be his Lucy, said she wanted this. He then leaned in and bit down onto Lucy's neck causing her to let out a small shriek in pain, but soon after he felt her relax as his magic flowed into her. He pulled his teeth out of her neck, and looked down watching the little red dragon take shape. He looked up into Lucy's eyes which had now been filled with joy and happiness when a just a short while ago they had been dull and filled with pain. Natsu grinned at Lucy saying "Your mine forever Lucy Heartfilia." Lucy blushed at this and responded "No I'm no longer Lucy Heartfilia. I'm now forever Lucy Dragneel." With that last statement the two mages began to share their first real kiss.


	6. First Night

_**Author's Note!:**_ Hey you need to read this!

This chapter is entirely just a lemon. The only thing pertinent to the story from this chapter is the fact that Natsu and Lucy share their first night together as a couple. That's it. Therefore if you don't really care or like this sort of thing then you don't have to read this. I just wanted to let everyone know. For those of you who do read it. Be warned, I have never written anything like this in my entire life, so if it is bad I deeply apologize in advance. Also sorry that it's a short chapter. I am grateful to those of you who comment, follow, and favorite my story. I really hope that you will continue reading.

As always I own nothing in regards to _Fairy Tail_

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><p>Natsu and Lucy stood in the door way to her room still sharing their first kiss after Lucy decided she did indeed want to be Natsu's mate. To Lucy the kiss was absolutely perfect. She could have never imagined such a simple act could be filled with so much love and passion. It made her heart melt. She wrapped her arms around Natsu's neck with her left hand on the base of his neck and her right hand intertwined with his hair pulling him in closer. She wanted to continue to feel his warm rough lips against hers. She wanted to pull him closer even though that was impossible, but she was determined to make it possible. To Lucy this moment was the happiest she had ever been in her entire life and she didn't want it to end, but all moments eventually come to an end. This one came because she and Natsu greatly needed air. Both of them broke the kiss at the same time panting as if they had been running for miles. Through the pants she pressed her head into Natsu's neck and nuzzled him. "Natsu, I love you so much" she sighed out happily against him. Natsu then purred out "I love you too, Lucy". He wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled tight relishing in the fact that the woman he loved more than anyone else in this world agreed to stay with him for the rest of his and her life.<p>

In the back of Natsu's mind something was nagging at him and it was getting worse with each passing second. He then remembered after he marked his mate they had to make love for the first time, or he would actually go insane. This actually caused him to tense up and since he was currently holding Lucy she noticed pulling her out of her dream like state. "What's wrong Natsu?" Lucy questioned the dragon slayer with concern in her voice.

"OH! I…uhhhh. Well… you see… the thing is…" Natsu was rambling while turning quite red. Lucy then instantly remembered the other part of the marking process and instantly turned a deep scarlet color. Both were silent for a moment in each other's arms and the tension between them grew into a palpable fog. During that time Natsu's nagging insides raged on nearly driving him to the brink, but Lucy saved him.

"Natsu…d-do y-you w-want-t t-to m-move t-to th-he b-bed-d?" Lucy quivered out. She was so embarrassed to talk about such things even if all she asked was to move from the door to the bed. It's what it implied that made her hide and bury her face in Natsu's neck. She pulled onto him tighter because she just became shyer than she had ever been. With this Natsu smirked and picked Lucy up bridal style carrying her to the bed. He danced on the way their earning a smile and giggle from Lucy causing her embarrassment to fade. Natsu gently laid her down onto the bed and slowly climbed on top of her. Both her legs were on the outside of his so that she was straddling him. At this position Lucy again turned a deep red color, but she didn't look away from Natsu's onyx eyes. She noticed there was something different about them. They held a desire in them. She knew the desire was for her causing a warm feeling to build between her legs.

Natsu slowly leaned down bringing his face closer to Lucy's. He stopped with his lips hovering just above her. Lucy could feel his warm breath tickle both her lips causing a small whimper to escape from her. Natsu then closed the distance between them in yet again another sweet and loving kiss. This kiss didn't stay that way for long. Natsu deepened the kiss by putting his hand under Lucy's chin leaning her closer to him. She then placed both of her hands in Natsu's hair pulling down ever wanting him to be closer. Natsu proceed to lick at her bottom lip. Lucy gasped at the tickling sensation it caused. Natsu took this opportunity to dart his tongue into her mouth. He started exploring her entire mouth earning a delightfully small moan from Lucy which only made it easier for him. Lucy was losing herself in his kiss. She never knew kissing could be better than what she felt earlier. She felt strange, but didn't mind the feeling. A heat was growing between her legs begging to be released. This just made her want Natsu more.

Much to the dismay of Lucy Natsu broke the kiss, but the then began to kiss her neck. "Oh-h Natsu!" Lucy quietly moaned out when he reached where he marked her. The spot was still sensitive from the marking process, but Lucy couldn't deny how it felt when Natsu sucked on that spot. She found herself arching into him along with pulling him down to her with her hands. Natsu then left the marked spot and continued to down to where her shoulder and collar bone met. Lucy was letting out small moans the entire time. He slightly bit the spot earning a gasp from Lucy. Natsu then followed the same path back up towards Lucy's lips. She didn't know why, but what Natsu was doing felt like absolute torture so when he came back up to her lips she crashed hers against him immediately opening up her mouth to try and explore his. This earned a nice groan out of Natsu which gave her the encouragement she needed to be bolder.

Lucy started to run her hands along Natsu's arms to his chest. She felt Natsu shiver beneath her touch. She began to want to feel more than just his arms, so before she knew what was happening she was tugging at his vest trying to take it off. Natsu noticed this and without breaking their kiss he slid off his vest and threw it to the floor. Natsu now feeling ever more confident since Lucy was trying to take off his cloths decided he might do the same. He slowly placed his hand under the hem of Lucy's shirt and began to lift it up. Natsu made sure to run his hands across her stomach up to her breasts while doing so. Lucy was shuddering at the contact, but as the shirt came closer to coming off, as if she was possessed by someone else, Lucy lifted her arms up so that Natsu could take the shirt off easier. This broke their kiss for a short moment, but as soon as the shirt was gone Lucy pulled Natsu down for another heated kiss.

Lucy and Natsu were running their hands all over their partner's bodies. Natsu then eventually made his way toward Lucy's breasts and started to lightly massage them through her bra. This caused Lucy break the kiss and let out a moan. Natsu then descended slightly and began kissing and lightly biting at Lucy's neck while massaging both her breasts. Lucy started to moan out Natsu's name which only started to bring him closer to losing control. He then pulled up Lucy and unhooked her bra from behind. He threw the article of clothing away revealing her exposed breasts to him. Natsu paused to look at Lucy in this positing causing Lucy to become very shy and she tried to cover herself up.

Natsu grabbed her hands stopping Lucy from covering herself and gently placed them back down. In husky voice Natsu said "Lucy, you are beautiful and have nothing to be shy about". He then leaned down and kissed her sweetly only for a moment and began again to kiss her neck while he started massaging her breasts. He was using both of his thumbs to graze over Lucy's nipples causing her to moan louder and arch up into his hands. Lucy's nipples started to grow harder at his touch only making Lucy moan more. Natsu then did something Lucy didn't expect. He kept his left hand on her right breast while his mouth traveled down until he reached her left breast. He then started to lightly suck and play with her nipple between his teeth and his tongue. "Ohhh, Natsu! That…feels good…" Lucy moaned out. She had completely lost herself in these pleasures and only wanted to continue feeling this way from Natsu. Lucy started to buck her hips involuntarily at Natsu's moments and actually pressed her sex against Natsu's. This caused them to both moan out. She continued to grind on him while he played with her breasts making both of them continue to moan out in pleasure. Lucy was making noises and moving in ways that were making it hard for Natsu to control himself. He decided that he couldn't wait any longer and went down to the skirt and panties Lucy was wearing and began to pull them off quite violently.

Lucy made and eep sound and tried to stop Natsu from removing her panties, but Natsu then lightly squezzed one of Lucy's breasts earning a nice long moan from her causing her to drop her hands down into the bed. She then started to grip the bed sheets tightly when she again grinded against Natsu, but because she was exposed it was all the more intense. Natsu couldn't take it anymore and had to make Lucy his so he stopped what he was doing and began to remove his pants. That's when Lucy saw Natsu's erection for the first time making her pause and briefly admire something she had never seen before. She knew what it was for and the idea of that being inside her actually made her hot with desire. Natsu who had lost almost all self control placed himself at Lucy's entrance ready to push his way inside her, but he stopped and still managed to look at Lucy making sure it was ok.

Lucy saw the look in Natsu's eyes and only nodded because she now wanted to become one with him also. She wanted him inside her and to claim her as his. Natsu then began to slowly push himself inside Lucy. When he came to Lucy's hymen he stopped, and then all it once broke it while simultaneously pushing himself all the way inside her. Lucy shrieked in pain bringing Natsu out of his hazy state of mind and actually saw Lucy crying. "Are you ok, Luce?" Natsu said worryingly as he wiped the tears from Lucy's eyes. "Y-yeah, just don't move for a minute, ok?" Lucy winced out.

After a short passing Lucy began to adjust to him being inside her and rolled her hips against him. This sent a wave of pleasure to the both of them as they both let out a moan. Natsu took this as a sign it was ok to continue and slowly pulled himself out until only his tip remained inside Lucy, and then he thrust back in. This earned a loud moan from Lucy. She had never experienced something so pleasurable in her entire life. Natsu was still going slow to avoid hurting Lucy. "N-Natsu, p-please…more…" Lucy begged in between her moaning. Natsu happy to oblige picked up his pace. He started thrusting faster and faster. The faster he went the louder Lucy's moans became. She just kept moaning his name over and over again. Natsu lost control again and began thrusting more violently. Lucy started to lose herself too as she was screaming his name out. She was felt like she was about to explode. Natsu then seemed to become even more violent with his thrusting.

"Lucy, I'm cumming!" He groaned out as he thrust inside her. His seed started to pour into Lucy as he kept thrusting hard into her. This last act caused Lucy to go over the edge screaming "NNATSUUUU!" as she came.

Natsu rode out his and her orgasm. He then pulled out of her and collapsed next to her. He was exhausted from what they just did and judging from how much Lucy was panting so was she. "That…was amazing, Lucy" Natsu said between pants.

"I…didn't know…that felt…so good" Lucy responded between pants with a smile on her face. She just lost her virginity to Natsu and couldn't be happier that it was him. She loved him with all her heart, so she wanted to tell him that. Natsu beat her to the punch. "Lucy, I love you so much, and thank you. You have no idea what it means to me that you would give yourself to me. I really do love you". Natsu said with love in his voice as he rolled onto his side to face Lucy. Lucy did the same thing and giggled "Believe me Natsu, I know, and I couldn't be happier. I love you" With that being said she kissed him. They held their kiss for a short while when the exhaustion started to overtake them. Lucy then rolled over with her back facing Natsu and snuggled up into him. She pulled the covers over them as Natsu wrapped his arms around her. She then allowed herself to sink into the abnormal warmth Natsu was giving off and fall into a deep sleep.


	7. The Reveal

Author's note: Hey everyone! Thank you so much for reading and following my story. Thank you for everyone commenting and cheering me on to write more. It really was encouraging. This unfortunately is the last chapter since the story has reached it's conclusion. I really hoped you like the last chapter to the story. Thank you again so much for reading.

As always I own nothing when it comes to _Fairy Tail_.

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><p>Lucy woke up first the next morning. She felt oddly warm, but quite content. Her usual routine of the day was to wake up and take a shower. Out of habit, Lucy was about to do just that. She tried to get out of bed, but was stopped by something. In her early morning stupor Lucy didn't at first recognize what was keeping her in the bed. What was keeping in her bed appeared to be some vice wrapped around the blonde's waist. She then went to remove said vice so that she could go about her normal routine. That's when she discovered the vice was in fact Natsu cuddling against her in her own bed.<p>

"Natsu, you perv! What are you doing in my bed?!" Lucy shrieked at Natsu when she threw him onto the floor. Natsu let out a long groan. "Oh come on Lucy, do you really have to be so violent in the morning?" Natsu started pleading at Lucy as he rubbed his head where it had landed on the floor. "Yes, you were sleeping in my bed! Would you mind explaining yourself, Natsu?!" Lucy shouted at him. Natsu not being a morning person and still wanting to sleep since it was quite early just grinned at Lucy and said "Look down you weirdo." Lucy got very confused by this last statement and looked down with exasperation written on her face. She then froze as her eyes went as wide as they possibly could.

"WHY AM I NAKED?! OH MY GOD ARE YOU NAKED?! WHY ARE YOU NAKED?! WHY WERE YOU IN MY BED NAKED WHILE I WAS NAKED?!" Lucy screamed in a panic. Natsu continued to grin at his highly confused mate because to him this was his morning entertainment. "Stop grinning at me and give me an explanation, Natsu!" Lucy fumed him with a very dark aura coming from her. With that Natsu's grin disappeared and was replaced by a look of absolute and total fear. Natsu waved his arms around above his head as if he was surrendering and quickly said, "Lucy, go look in the mirror at your neck. Everything will make sense then." Lucy let out a hmph noise at this response, but decided to do it anyway. Lucy made it to the mirror and looked at her neck. Lucy then saw the little red dragon that was on the left side of her neck. "Natsu I-I d-don't understand, why do I have a dragon…" She stopped talking as all the events of yesterday came flooding back to her. She had actually confessed her love to Natsu. He had confessed his love for her. She had agreed to become his mate for life, and that was why the mark was on her neck. This also helped explain to her why she was naked. The memory of what took place last night made her cheeks turn scarlet, and she turned back to face Natsu.

"I-I'm s-sorry that I threw you out of bed, Natsu. I remember now." Lucy quietly stated looking at the ground with the biggest amount of shame and embarrassment one could have. Natsu started laughing at her. She scowled at him for this, and just as she started to try and lecture him Natsu cut her off.

"It's ok Lucy. We were both exhausted after what we did last night. Especially because of all the injuries we have still healing. By the way, you look really cute while you are embarrassed." Natsu said through a grin. Lucy blushed even harder at this comment with a small smile on her face, but it disappeared when realized she was still stark naked in front of Natsu. Lucy scrambled to cover herself up with her face becoming as redder than it was just two seconds earlier. "S-shut-t u-up, I-I'm g-going to g-go sh-hower now." Lucy said with her head down facing the floor since she was too embarrassed by her current lack of clothing to look at Natsu. She ran into the bathroom and locked the door behind her. Outside the bathroom she could hear Natsu cackling with laughter.

"Ok, you go shower Luce, I'll wait for you downstairs in the kitchen. By the way, good morning and I love you, Lucy." Natsu said warmly at Lucy through the door. He then went and threw his clothes on. Meanwhile Lucy was leaning up against the bathroom door with the biggest smile plastered across her face. "_That's right he loves me. He didn't hate me or resent me after the mission, but instead said he loved me and asked me to become his mate. I can't believe that this is happening! Last night wasn't a dream after all. Natsu actually chose me to be his mate for life and I said yes! This has to be the greatest day of my life!_" Lucy thought with elation as her heart fluttered. Lucy then let out a sigh and fell to the floor gripping her heart just going over yesterday's events like she imagined them. She couldn't believe that she got to be so lucky. She was now with the man whom she loved most in this world, and she couldn't even begin to understand how that happened. She was too happy to even care about that though. Lucy got up, and started her shower humming a tune her mother sang to her when she was a child which is something Lucy hasn't done in over a week.

Natsu was down stairs in the kitchen waiting for his mate, his Lucy, to come down and join him. The thought that Lucy was his and only his had him wanting to bounce off the walls in pure excitement. It was making it to where he couldn't sit still. He had to constantly tap his fingers or something just to keep the pent up energy from exploding out of him. Lucy finished her shower, dressed and ran down stairs. She ran straight for Natsu and jumped into his arms. She crushed her lips against his savoring the feeling of his warm lips against hers. She then broke the kiss apart so she could rest her head against his chest and hold him still all the while believing that this was all just part of a dream. She acted like if she didn't hold him then the dream would end and bring her back to some other painful reality. She let out a contented sigh while snuggling up into the hug with a smile on her face and her eyes closed savoring the moment.

After a minute or two Lucy let out another sigh and sweetly said to Natsu, "Good morning, and I love you too" She looked up to see Natsu warmly smiling down at her, and she gave him another sweet and loving kiss. After she kissed him; she got up and asked "Hey Natsu, would you like me to make you breakfast before heading to the guild?" Natsu grinned and nodded repeatedly at her almost bouncing up and down like a child. Lucy went to her fridge and opened it. The only thing inside were a couple pieces of bacon, four eggs in a carton that was still open, and half a carton of milk that was also still open.

"Natsu! Did you really eat all my food? That was suppose to last me the whole week!" Lucy shouted as she ripped her gaze from the fridge to scowl Natsu. Natsu was still grinning like an idiot and sheepishly said, "Well the master made me come talk to you before I could eat, and while I waited for you to make a decision I was really nervous. Soo, to distract myself I kinda started to eat…" Natsu trailed off at that last bit feeling the scowl from Lucy deepen. She then let out a long sigh and said, "Your lucky I love you, just remind me we need to go to the store later today, would ya?" Natsu beamed at her saluting her while saying "Aye, sir." Lucy then pulled out the remnants of her fridge and began to prepare to cook the remaining food.

Lucy went to the stove so that she could cook the eggs and bacon, but it wouldn't light. She groaned out in frustration, and asked Natsu to come over and use his fire magic so breakfast would actually be cooked. He got out of his chair, and the bacon was cooked almost instantly. He then held his hands out and started to put out an even fire so the eggs could be cooked. Lucy looked down and stared at Natus's hand. All of a sudden she felt the need lean down and eat the fire that surrounded Natus's hands. Before she knew it Lucy had in fact leaned down her head and started to eat the fire Natsu had created. Natsu's grin went from ear to ear as Lucy absent mindedly ate the fire off of his hand. Lucy started to feel a nice warmth spread through her all at once and she suddenly felt more energized too. She opened her eyes which of course became wider than the plates the food was going to be served on when saw herself eating fire.

"AHHHH! Why am I eating fire? I can't eat fire!" Lucy shrieked out in complete shock. Natsu had laughed this entire morning at Lucy's expense, but this officially took the cake in his book. He fell on the floor laughing at Lucy while she was currently freaking out at her new ability to eat fire. "Natsu…" Lucy growled at him. Natsu started to calm down from his previous hysterics because Lucy's dark aura was coming back. "It's an effect of the mark. During child rearing, dragon slayer babies absorb all their magical energy from their mom. If the mom isn't a dragon slayer herself and doesn't have a good way to restore her magical energy then the baby will take all of the mom's killing both of them. Therefore after the marking process is completed the mom will now be able to eat whatever element their mate eats. In your case you can now eat fire." Natsu informed Lucy as if it was completely obvious. Lucy on the other hand was not at all pleased with this news. Lucy stopped listening when Natsu as soon as he mentioned the only reason for her ability to eat fire was for child birth. Lucy went ghost white and tried to ask Natsu if she was in fact pregnant. Natsu saw her and immediately went up to hug her calming her down. Before Lucy could ask anyting; Natsu started to explain further. "You don't have to be pregnant to want to eat fire Lucy. That's just the reason you can. You will actually crave fire the rest of your life…. Soooooo, how did my fire taste?" Natsu's eyes held curiosity, hope, and at the same time fear. Lucy not really sure how to describe the taste of fire since she only recently started to eat it or even know she could, but at the same time not wanting to hurt Natsu's feelings replied "It's one of the best things that I have ever eaten" This was in fact partially true because after finishing eating the fire she had never felt so warm and energized at the same time. She actually really liked the feeling and hoped every time she ate fire she would feel the same. Natsu just beamed at her like he won the best prize at the fair and pulled Lucy into a tight hug. Natsu promised Lucy to make her fire anytime she wanted. Lucy just smiled back at him thinking he was really cute when he got so excited. The both then finished cooking breakfast and decided it was time to head to the guild hall.

Lucy and Natsu were arguing about how they wanted to tell everyone at the guild they were mates on their way to the guild. Natsu of course wanted to go in shouting it to the world, and daring any one to take her from him. Lucy wanted to do it more subtly which she thought would be more fun. She wanted to walk in together as if they made up, and not make a big fuss. After entering she would sit at the bar and freak out her friends when they saw the mark. Then everyone could make a big fuss. To get Natsu on her side she promised to cook dinner for him if he did what she wanted. He lit up like a Christmas tree and nodded. Lucy wasn't going to get her way though because as soon as they both entered the guild hall everyone started cheering and crowding around them. They all started crushing them when group hugging began. People were giving them congratulations as if they already knew what was happened between Natsu and Lucy. Lucy started to wonder if a certain blue cat had spied on them, and told everyone at the guild what Natsu and she did the day before which started to make her blush. The guild members were actually only congratulating them because they could tell they had settled their differences, and Lucy looked as if she was actually happy. Lucy noticed that none of them knew about her and Natsu being mates, but before she could get away Levy noticed the mark on Lucy's neck since her hair was up.

"Hey Lucy, why is there a red dragon on your neck?" Levy asked with great confusion. Lucy wasn't prepared for this and started to blush and hid her face in Natsu's chest at the same time. Natsu saw Lucy's embarrassment and took over. He placed his arm around her waist and pulled Lucy's head up for a quick kiss completely surprising her and turning her even more red than before. Right after he responded with his stupid grin on his face while scratching the back of his head to the shocked Levy by saying "Lucy is my mate!" The entire guild hall first just stared at the couple in complete shock. Then everyone started cheering even louder. All the guys of the guild congratulated Natsu while all the girls squealed begging for every single detail from Lucy. Everyone got their wish as Lucy and Natsu sat down to explain what happened when they left the guild yesterday. There were many noises from the crowd. The first of which was people groaning and people cheering when bets were exchanged. As Lucy and Natsu wove there tale about what happened the crowd had many oooos and awwws to give. A few tears were even shed. By the end of Lucy's and Natsu's tale even those who had lost bets on their relationship weren't mad. No one knew all the details since Natsu and Lucy figured they didn't need to know everything that happened. Everyone was just happy for the new couple. A party was immediately declared to be thrown in Lucy's and Natsu's honor. Therefore the entire guild hall filled with laughter, drinking, and dancing with everyone being happier than they had been in over a month.

Later that day Lucy became quite tired from the impromptu party at the guild hall celebrating the fact that Natsu and Lucy had now become mates. Natsu saw Lucy hunched over at the bar practically asleep and decided it was best to carry her home so she could rest. He picked her up bridal style and carried Lucy to her apartment with a few cheers from the guild hall as he did so. Once they made it back to Lucy's apartment, they went straight for Lucy's bed. Natsu laid her down first and then climbed in with her wrapping his arms around her. Lucy snuggled closer to Natsu. Lucy fell asleep with a smile on her face thinking how now every night she could have Natsu hug her while she fell asleep.


End file.
